The Invasion of Earth
by ilmiopassato
Summary: COMPLETE. Sequel. The Battle of Sigma Octanus IV may have come to an end, but the fight for Earth has just begun. The newly promoted Capt. Natalie Cooper will have to ally with Elites and combat the Flood horror in the defense of the human homeworld.
1. Intro: New Beginnings

Author's Note: Sat down at my computer the other day and here's what came of it: the sequel to my story "The Battle of Sigma Octanus IV", for all my **awesome** reviewers! If you haven't read that yet, I'd advise you read it first so you have a better understanding of this story. As usual, I DO NOT OWN HALO/HALO 2/HALO 3 OR ANY OF THE BOOKS. I'm just writing a fanfic based off the Halo universe (but my characters are my own). Following the tradition of my previous story, the setting/times/dates may be slightly AU and a little off from the canon version. So all you canon sticklers, don't freak! You've been warned. ;-)

Like its predecessor, this story is rated on the heavy side of T for language, violence, blood, gore, and some suggestive/sexual content (not graphic).

Hope you enjoy and please review! Updates won't be as frequent as my last story, as I had most of that prepped beforehand. I'm in the middle of a loaded college semester right now and I work most days of the week, but I'll try to get new chapters up as soon as I can. Peace!

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**Intro: New Beginnings**

WARNING! TOP SECRET! EYES ONLY!

SCANNING IN PROGRESS…

…CLEARANCE GRANTED

//TO: Captain Natalie M. Cooper, Commanding Officer Bravo Company, 102nd Force Action Battalion, 603rd Special Infantry Regiment, UNSC Marine Corps

FROM: Major Benjamin Phillips, Commanding Officer 102nd Force Action Battalion, 603rd Special Infantry Regiment, UNSC Marine Corps

SUBJECT: FILE ENCRYPTED

MESSAGE:

Captain Cooper,

The United Nations Space Command's best kept secret has finally been discovered. As of 1530 hours local time, the third planet in the Sol system was attacked in orbit by a Covenant armada. Cooper, I'm sure I don't need to point out the obvious here: Earth is going to be invaded shortly. Intel is still sketchy, but it looks like this is the big one. HighCom is going to be recalling everyone for the defense of our human homeworld.

Standby for more orders as they come in, and get Bravo Company ready to go in the meantime. I'm counting on you, Cooper. I know you'll get the job done.

Maj. Benjamin R. Phillips, 102nd Battalion

//END MESSAGE//


	2. Chapter 1: A Glimpse of the Future

Author's Note: The very first chapter of a new story. ;-) Hope you enjoy, and please please review! Reviews are super greatness.

I'm working on chapter two right now and it should be up shortly, so stay tuned!

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Chapter One: A Glimpse of the Future**

**1135 Hours, October 4, 2552. ****Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. ****"The Discovery," Planet Earth. Day Fifty-Five of the Invasion of Earth**

Austria was a country full of natural beauty. There were sparkling lakes, rugged mountains, green meadows, and colorful flowers everywhere. Tourists enjoyed walking along the bright and narrow streets, peeking occasionally into and out of little souvenir shops. All in all, the small European nation tucked neatly in the Alps was just about the most charming place on the planet.

And did I mention the beer?

Coffee was pretty much the worst beverage you could order here, but dammit if the beer wasn't good. Light on the alcohol, too, which made the stuff an interesting alternative for drinking games. Plus, you could drink more of the beer without getting quite as wasted. That was a great trade-off if I'd ever heard of one, but I guess it depended on your intentions.

Of course, matters of tasty fermented liquid weren't particularly my concern at the moment.

My company and I were currently out on patrol in the mountains, looking for the Covenant camp we knew to be somewhere nearby. We'd been sent out by our makeshift base in Lienz, who wanted a recon done of the enemy's area before we mounted an attack. And, out of the four companies in the battalion, Major Benjamin Phillips had chosen Bravo for the job. Lucky us, I'd thought rather sarcastically at the time.

Funny, though, that the base had been obliterated about a day after Bravo Company was on the march. The Covenant had struck first, but Major Phillips insisted we continue our original mission anyway. Now six days into the operation, we'd finally made it to the large red zone indicating the enemy's possible location. It was time to see if anybody was home.

"Bravo, sit tight for a minute. I'm going to scout ahead to see if those bastards are hiding out below the ridgeline. Set up a perimeter and notify me immediately if there's anything out of the ordinary," I said into the COM channel.

Green acknowledgment lights winked on my heads up display. Good, they were paying attention.

Satisfied by the response, I turned to face the Marine in light gray battledress standing next to me; up at these altitudes, it was cold and snowy, so Bravo wore the appropriately camouflaged uniforms. Even with the heating systems in the fabric, however, the sharp wind was still a bit of a problem.

"You're coming with me, El-Tee," I ordered, hefting my battle rifle as I turned in the direction of the ridge.

"Yes, ma'am," the Marine replied, following behind me.

We had gone only a few paces when the lieutenant fell into step beside me.

"Question?" I asked.

"Uh, yes, Captain. Are you, um, sure it's a good idea to have two officers out to scout?"

"No. But I want to see what we're up against for myself, and you've got the best damn eyesight out of 'em all. So you're with me, Lieutenant."

The Marine chuckled. "Comes from my name, ma'am."

I stole a quick glance behind me, then turned back to the lieutenant. "Ok, I think we're out of range now, so we can drop the formalities. You on a private channel?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Good. Remember, we'll have to move fast, otherwise they'll think we've come out here for a quickie in the woods."

"Actually, that sounds incredibly awesome, Coop."

"You touch me, Will, and I'll kick your ass."

"I wouldn't dream of going anywhere near you when you're in commando mode, honey."

I rolled my eyes, but kept my mind focused on the task at hand. I could see now why married couples weren't generally assigned to the same units; it was way too easy to get distracted. Not to mention the fact that when battles heated up, your sole focus would be your spouse instead of your unit as a whole---and that was incredibly dangerous for all involved. I tried to keep these warnings at the forefront of my mind; that way, when the time came, I wouldn't be handicapped by any of the aforementioned circumstances.

Willis and I walked another three hundred meters or so before we reached the edge of the ridge. As I crouched next to a tree and began pulling out my field binoculars, Willis started to set up between the rocks. There wasn't any snow on this patch of land, but the gray boulders concealed us well anyway.

As he slung his submachine gun diagonally across his back, my husband lifted his S2 AM sniper rifle into his hands. He pulled out a tripod from his pack, then started putting it together expertly as I watched. After a moment of busy work, he seemed to sense a pair of eyes on him and turned his faceplate in my direction.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. Just wondering to myself how long it's been since you've fired that thing."

"Not as long as you might like to believe," Willis answered with a slight edge to his voice.

"I know you had perfect marksmanship, honey, but that was in the _Academy_---"

"Natalie, I know what I'm doing. Every Marine's a rifleman first, remember? And besides, I've never stopped being a top-notch sniper."

I couldn't help but sigh as I glanced away. I certainly didn't want to start a fight over a trivial matter, but there was a lot riding on this. I didn't want Willis to take the shot if he was rusty with weapons that weren't mounted to a ship.

"We've got one shot at this, Will," I reminded him.

"Yeah, I know. I won't miss." Thankfully, his voice was now back to a more normal tone.

When he finished setting up his tripod and rifle, Willis went prone and slid in behind the gun. He looked down the sniper rifle's long scope and adjusted the small knob on the side. Finally, he glanced at me and gave me a thumbs-up.

"Good to go?" I asked him.

"Yup. You gonna spot for me?"

"Of course."

Before settling down myself, I opened a COM channel to our higher-ups.

"Battalion, this is Captain Cooper," I said into the radio.

There was a brief crackle of static before an answer came through. "Major Phillips here. Go ahead, Cooper."

"Sir, Bravo Company has arrived at the objective. I've got our sniper set up here right now, and we're ready to fire."

"Good work, Captain. Get me a visual of the enemy outpost if you find it, and wait for my order before you take a shot. Is that clear, Cooper?"

"Yes, sir."

"All right. Phillips out."

The major cut the connection after he'd issued his orders. In the meantime, I'd slung my battle rifle on my back in the same manner Willis had with his submachine gun, then went prone beside him. Looking down the ridge to the valley below with my field binoculars, I focused the lens before doing a visual sweep of the area. There it was: a characteristic break in the rocky formation.

We had finally found the Covenant camp.

"Enemy hideout, two klicks to the east and down. See if you can get a fix on one of the larger targets," I said.

"Working on it," Willis replied. "Oh, hello there."

"I see him. Brute chieftain?"

"Yeah. But we want the big prize, don't we?" 

"'Course. If it wasn't important, they wouldn't send in the Marines."

"Oorah," Willis replied.

I scanned the entire low-lying area with my binoculars, trying to find the prophet we were to take out. Still, there was no sign of him for the time being. "I'm getting a whole lotta nothin', Will. What about you?"

"Same. Son of a bitch must be out and about."

"Or holed up in that cave," I offered.

"Could be, I suppose," Willis conceded.

A few minutes passed, and even though neither of us took our eyes off the Covie camp, the target continued to remain elusive. Were we going to have to go down there with flamethrowers to smoke them out? I didn't want to admit it, even to myself, but the prospect kind of excited me.

"Cooper? Get anything yet?" Major Phillips asked. He startled me when I suddenly heard his voice flood my helmet, and it took me a moment to reply.

"Negative, sir. Target must be elsewhere at this time. Orders?"

The major sighed. "I'll give you two more minutes, Captain. After that, pull out and maintain a perimeter around the ridge. We'll try again in an hour."

"Yes, sir."

"Phillips out."

As soon as the COM went dead, I noticed an oddity in the picture my binoculars were feeding me. I gave Willis a nudge and said, "Hey, take a look at this."

He tilted his head at me. "What is it?"

"I'm…not really sure." I handed him my binoculars, and had him move to where I'd been lying prone a second ago. I used a gloved finger to point in the general direction of the thing I saw. "I think it's somewhere over there," I added.

Willis snorted as he looked through the field binoculars. "Yeah, thanks, Coop. You _really_ narrowed it down for me."

"Don't be such an ass."

He sighed. "Sorry." He sounded sincere enough, so I let it go.

"Do you see it yet?"

"No. Wait…hold on a sec…oh, Jesus!"

Willis dropped the binoculars like a hot potato as he scrambled to a sitting position. Meanwhile, my binoculars were now at the mercy of the rocks around us---and that kind of pissed me off.

"Dammit, did you have to throw the binoculars? What the hell did you see?"

While I got to my feet to look for my neglected piece of equipment, Willis chose to ignore my question and went back on his belly. He grabbed his sniper rifle and looked down the sights, no doubt getting a fix on that thing I'd seen.

"Seriously, what the fuck _is_ it?" he muttered.

After a moment's search, I found my field binoculars lying in a crack in the rocks. Happy to find them unharmed, I wiped the lens with a cloth in my pocket and looked through them once more. And there it was: that weird-looking creature again.

"I'd better tell Phillips about this," I said.

"Good idea, Coop."

I opened a COM channel to my superior officer, but stopped when I caught a sudden movement out of the corner of my eye. Lowering my binoculars, I felt my pulse quicken when I saw them.

"Willis!" I cried.

"What?" He immediately turned to face me, but I was already busy firing my battle rifle at the little things. They almost looked like small, cream-colored balloons. With tentacles.

And there were suddenly tons of them all around us.

"Uh, Natalie?"

"What!"

"Is this a bad time to tell you I think that thing down there saw us?"

"You've gotta be kidding me! How the hell did it manage that?" I could hear the steady rattle of Willis's submachine gun going off behind me; he was holding down the trigger and spraying the little popping things with lead.

"I don't know. But then where do you suppose these things came from?"

"They're related?"

"Well, didn't that thing down there look like a beefed-up version of these guys?"

Honestly, I had no idea what to believe. All I knew was that there were miniscule tentacle-balloon things trying to jump on me, and I didn't like it. So I kept firing three-round bursts until my clip ran out, and then I tried desperately to reload before the next one came at me.


	3. Chapter 2: Winds of Change

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews!!! Here's Ch. 2, everybody---told you it'd be up quick. ;-) I'll try hard to get the next chapter done this weekend, so hopefully you'll have it to read by then; I had some ideas for this story as I was finishing up the last one, and I'm just starting to get them all organized. Anyway, hope you enjoy and please review! Feedback keeps me going, and I'd like to know what you think. Thanks!

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Chapter Two: Winds of Change**

**Two Months Earlier. 1612 Hours, July 31, 2552. Europa Base, City of Cote D'Azur. "The Price of Victory," Planet Sigma Octanus IV. ****Prologue to the Invasion of Earth**

You definitely had to hand it to the commanders on base: they certainly didn't waste any time getting their troops back into the swing of things. Bravo Company _had_ returned from their ten days of shore leave two weeks ago, that much was true. But we had now been training---and pretty vigorously, too---every day since, and so far there was no end in sight. Add that to the humongous pile of papers on my desk that I had yet to work on, and it was an overall depressing situation. What had I gotten myself into when I'd become a company commander?

"Corporal Garian?" I called to my aide, not even daring to look up; I feared that any interruption in my filing, writing, and signing would cause me to procrastinate on the rest. I sighed. These were the days I knew for sure that I was never meant for a five-to-nine civilian job.

"Yes, ma'am?" Corporal Kaleb Garian was standing in front of my desk in an instant.

"Tell the XO I want to see him now. And Corporal?"

"Ma'am?"

"Make it fast."

Garian nodded. "Right away, Captain."

In a moment of weakness, I allowed my eyes to drift up from the paper I was working on and watched as my aide walked out of my office. Now that I was alone again, I figured a slight lapse like that couldn't possibly kill my concentration, but, alas, I was proven wrong. _Oh, no_, I thought as I leaned back in my seat and rubbed my tired eyes. _Crap, I just let my attention fly out the window._ There was no hope for those company documents now.

After a few minutes of sitting idle behind my desk, I saw Corporal Garian finally return with my company executive officer, First Lieutenant Dean Lewis. He walked into my office as Garian held the door open; once Lewis was inside, my aide quickly shut himself out of the room. In the meantime, the lieutenant came before me and stood at rigid attention.

"First Lieutenant Lewis reporting as requested, ma'am," he said in his distinct British accent. Secretly, I'd always thought his voice made him sound prissy and sophisticated, contrasting sharply with his fun-loving personality and bright red hair.

And that's what I absolutely loved about him.

"At ease, Lieutenant," I said. "Know why I called you in?"

The officer relaxed his posture before answering my question. "Yes, ma'am. Er, well, you need to speak with me, I presume?"

A small grin began to form on my face. "Sort of. Dean?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"Tell me: What's your opinion on mercy killings?"

Lieutenant Lewis gave me a sideways glance and chuckled. "All due respect, ma'am, but what the blazes are you going on about?"

"Well, if I have to go through all the rest of this paperwork," I said, gesturing at my desk in a dramatic manner, "I thought you might like to put me out of my misery now rather than later."

My best friend was laughing by the time I finished my sentence. "Blimey, Cooper. You're certainly one of a kind," he replied, grinning wide at me. "We spent the entire battle blubbering and whining about how we were soon going to turn into corpses, and now you're asking me to give you the coup de grace over a few sheets of paper?"

"Funny how things change, huh?" I said, grinning right back. Finally, I sobered. "All right, seriously now. Want to help me out?"

"Of course. You are in charge, after all." He winked at me. "I'd better follow your suggestions before they turn into orders."

"Hey, it's up to you. I know you've got a lot on your plate already."

"Just tell me what I can do for you, Captain."

Not wanting to waste any precious time, I quickly thumbed through several of the documents piled in front me. At the same time, Lieutenant Lewis leaned over my desk to see.

"I've finished the after action reports and most everything else from the fighting in Cote D'Azur," I said to him. "But now I've got a problem with the remainder of Bravo Company." I looked up at him, waiting for a response.

Lewis stared right back until he finally figured out where I was going with this. "Ah, yes. The fact that we are missing a good portion of our original Marine contingent?"

"You got it. Currently, we have no lieutenant for first platoon since my promotion, a second lieutenant running second platoon, and over twenty vacancies for the rank-and-file." It was hard to believe, but some openings were still left over from the desert campaign on Heath.

The lieutenant was pensive for a moment before his gaze fell on me again. "All right, then. What do you propose we do, ma'am?"

I searched briefly for my datapad and found it hidden beneath a stack of papers. Quickly pulling up a roster of Bravo Company, I clicked on a dropdown menu that allowed me to view the company's officers only. After that, I scrolled down and double-clicked on Second Lieutenant Casey Frederick's name; his Career Service Vitae came up in just a few seconds.

"Here's what I'm thinking: Frederick's been an officer for about a year and a half now, and he displayed considerable leadership abilities during the battle. He took over second platoon after Lieutenant Graham was killed and lead 'em like he'd always been their El-Tee. I like that." I stared at my datapad as I spoke, scrolling quickly through Second Lieutenant Frederick's service record. The blond twenty-two-year-old lieutenant was, at least in my estimation, the perfect man for the job.

I looked back at Dean Lewis. "No-brainer here. We promote Frederick to first lieutenant and let him resume his command of second platoon."

Lewis didn't say anything for a moment, but focused his attention on his own datapad instead; I assumed he was reading through the young Marine's CSV. Finally, with a hand cupped around his chin, Lieutenant Lewis nodded. "Yes, ma'am, I concur. The boy has the necessary qualifications, and he has tremendous potential to make a first-rate platoon leader." My friend looked up at me. "But, of course, the choice is yours, Captain."

"I'll do it. I have confidence in him, and I agree with your analysis." I suddenly smiled at Lewis. "Hey, my very first time promoting somebody."

Dean smiled back. "How's it feel, Captain Cooper?"

"I guess I'll know when I actually do it, but pretty good so far."

"What's next on the agenda, ma'am?"

I frowned. "Well, now I still have the problem of first platoon. They don't have anybody to take over for 'em."

"Hillburn?" he asked.

Shaking my head, I answered, "Uh-uh. Cote D'Azur was her first time in combat; she didn't do too bad, but I don't think she's ready for this amount of responsibility yet. Hillburn needs a few more campaigns under her belt before she'll be platoon leader material. You know what I've been thinking?"

"Enlighten me."

"I'm going to transfer her to your platoon, that way she can continue to receive experienced guidance. You ok with taking her under your wing?"

Lieutenant Lewis shrugged indifferently. "I trust your judgment, and I'm willing to do whatever you see fit."

"Dean, if you have any reservations, now's the time."

"Truth is, Cooper, I'm not particularly apt with that sort of thing. As my mum used to say when I was at university, I'm no professor." He gave me a sheepish grin. "And that's about the same time I decided to join the UNSC Marine Corps instead."

I chuckled. "Hate to break it to you, Dean, but you're a parent." Leaning back in my chair again, I added, "Teaching tends to come with the territory."

"Your son must have been very happy to have you back, Captain."

I gave him a quizzical look. "Why do you say that?"

"Because even when you don't know it, you're thinking of him."

A silence descended over the room for a moment. It had only been a couple of weeks since I'd seen my two-year-old son, and already I had that awful feeling in my chest. It felt like my body was separated from some vital part of itself, and it hurt.

"Dean, is it weird that I already miss him? A lot?"

"Of course not, ma'am," he answered quietly. By the way he said it, I could tell he was really starting to resent our difference in rank; he'd wanted to use my first name. Glancing down at his boots, he said, "I started missing my little girl the moment she was no longer in sight."

Sighing, I picked up my datapad once more; I needed to get my mind off my short stay at home and back to business. "So?" I asked Lewis. "Have you changed your mind about Hillburn?"

"Oh, all right. Send her over, but…how exactly does that remedy first platoon's problem?"

"Way ahead of you, El-Tee. Second Lieutenant Zackary Samson will be promoted and transferred to first platoon. He's a few months older than Frederick, and he's a sharp kid. I think he can do it."

Lewis folded his arms across his chest. "You're taking my platoon XO." He didn't phrase it as a question, but I felt the need to elaborate.

"You'll have Lieutenant Hillburn, and she's reliable in a role as an assistant. Besides, haven't you been singing Zack's praises for weeks now?"

"Yes, ma'am, and I meant every word. I believe he will make a fine platoon leader."

"But?"

"I thought that perhaps it's a bit too early. But it _is_ what the company needs, so I suppose he will have to learn to deal with his new position."

"Good. Well, that's all I got for now. Dismissed, Lewis."

"Yes, ma'am," the lieutenant replied, giving me a crisp salute and a perfectly executed about face. Just as he was stepping out the door, however, I suddenly remembered something.

"Hey, Dean?"

He turned back almost immediately. "Ma'am?"

I couldn't help but grin at him. "Almost forgot. Scuttlebutt says we'll be getting some new replacements to play with soon. I don't know about you, but I'm willing to bet that'll keep us entertained for the next few days."

My best friend grinned back. "Let the games begin, Captain."


	4. Chapter 3: Ignorance Is Bliss

Author's Note: Turns out I got this chapter done a little early, so here goes. I'm going to be doing some time/date jumping, as I'm sure you're used to by now. Just check out the headings so you won't get lost. Thanks a million times for all your reviews; I wasn't sure about writing a sequel, but you have inspired me to undertake this project. ;-) Hope you enjoy, please leave some comments when you've finished reading, and peace!

P.S. Almost done with Ch. 4, too, so that should be coming soon!

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Chapter Three: Ignorance Is Bliss**

**Three Weeks Earlier. 1041 Hours, July 8, 2552. Cooper Residence, St. Louis, MO. "The Lazy Days," Planet Earth. Prologue to the Invasion of Earth**

When I woke up to the smell of pancakes that morning, it didn't take me long to figure out I wasn't on Sigma Octanus IV any more. A quick glance to my right confirmed my suspicions: sleeping soundly beside me was Willis, head buried in his pillow. I smiled at the scene that met my half-open eyes before I finally remembered the events leading up to this moment.

The Battle of Sigma Octanus IV had ended three months ago, and my company and I had been helping with the reconstruction efforts ever since. Trying to keep over one hundred young Marines focused and busy after the fight of their lives, however, had proven a difficult task for me; I'd wanted to be done with it all just as much as they did. Finally, Major Benjamin Phillips, our battalion commander, had realized how much more effective Bravo Company would become if he'd just give the Marines a bit of R&R. So, for everything we'd done to keep Cote D'Azur clear of Covenant during the battle and rubble-free once the fighting was over, the members of Bravo were allowed several days of shore leave.

And late yesterday, after a day and a half of travel, I'd finally made it to Earth.

I tried to lie there quietly in bed while I waited for my husband to wake up, but I grew bored after only a few seconds. Besides, I was too excited about being home to stay inside all day; I decided to wake him up myself.

Sometime before he'd fallen asleep the night before, Willis had put on his boxers and a white T-shirt. Presently, I slipped my hand under his immaculate shirt and ran it gently along his back. "Will, honey, wake up," I said in his ear.

Inhaling rather loudly as he finally awoke, Willis turned sideways and opened his hazel eyes a crack. With his short light brown hair disheveled, he gave me a sleepy grin when he saw me. "Hey, Cooper."

"Hey, Will," I replied, grinning back. I quickly kissed him before he could say anything else; he just looked far too good right now to let the opportunity pass.

"This is shaping up to be a really good morning," Willis said, his grin widening as he kissed me back. Then his expression suddenly changed to one of curiosity. "Is your mom cooking---" He paused to sniff the air. "---pancakes?"

"That's sure what it smells like."

"Natalie? I think I love it here."

"Yeah, you're not the only one. Come on, Will, let's go. Real, honest-to-God food awaits. You know as well as I do what it's like to live off MREs for months on end." I sat up, glancing down briefly at what little I was wearing: one of my husband's many-times-too-big T-shirts and underwear. "Hurry, we'll have to change first."

"Not so fast, Coop," Willis said, pulling me back with a wicked grin. "Did I mention last night was probably the best night ever?"

I laughed. "You might've said something to that effect, yes. And I definitely can't argue that point."

Now that I was lying back down, Willis leaned over and let his face hover dangerously close to mine. "If it weren't for this stupid war, Natalie, I---"

He never got to finish what he was going to say. Before things could get interesting, our son Gabriel came bursting through the bedroom door.

"Mommy! Daddy!" he cried with a huge smile on his face. Our son jumped on the bed and situated himself between us, looking for all the world like the happiest kid on the planet.

"Hi, sweetheart," I said, giving my son a kiss on his forehead. "Did you sleep ok yesterday?"

Gabriel grinned at me, nodding vigorously but remaining silent.

"You were pretty happy to have Mommy here to put you to bed last night, weren't you?" Willis asked.

"Yeah, and Daddy, too."

Willis and I exchanged glances, smiling at what our little boy had said.

That's when I first felt it, some indescribable mix of complete happiness and a sense of finally being in the place you belonged. I was off the frontlines, home with the two people I loved most, in a real bed, and I had good food and a shower just a few steps away. It was everything a war weary Marine could ever ask for.

Unfortunately, none of us could imagine the ugly events that were to take place in just a few months' time. Though we didn't yet know it, our lives were about to be turned upside down---and not only because of the Covenant.

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My mother left for work a short time later, saying she'd only barely managed to get the morning off to spend at least some time with us---now it was back to business. I was slightly disappointed, but with Willis and Gabe at home, there wasn't much I could complain about.

Today was a beautiful summer day in St. Louis, and so Willis and I decided to take our son to one of the parks in the city. Gabriel had been full of energy ever since my arrival, and the more time Willis and I spent together with him, the more excited he got. Nothing made me happier than seeing my son in such high spirits, and I had a feeling he'd especially enjoy our mini excursion.

After a few hours of running around and playing at the park with us, little Gabe was finally worn out. The mid-afternoon sun was really beating down by now, and Willis suggested we find a spot to stretch out on the grass. There were others who had had the same idea, but eventually we managed to find some shade beneath one of the trees. Sprawled on a carpet of green and lying next to Willis and I, Gabe fell asleep in record time.

My husband put his arm around our son's little shoulders, moving closer so that Gabe was resting against his ribs. Once I scooted just as close on the opposite side, we had sleeping Gabriel sandwiched between us. Smiling, Willis turned his head in my direction and reached for my hand with his own. I smiled back as I took it, and I wondered briefly if this was a taste of what life would be like after the war. I knew that right now I would continue to fight a million battles, if only that would allow me to live like this afterward.

Not an instant later, I felt that same feeling again that I'd had this morning: the one of happiness and belonging. Only this time, I recognized it for what it truly was. Looking over at my husband and son and knowing how content the three of us were together, I had a sudden epiphany. That thing I'd felt---both earlier and at the moment---wasn't truly a feeling, but more a fact.

I suddenly realized that I wanted to have another baby.

The thought caught me off guard, and I had to work in order to suppress it. _Come on, Cooper, be realistic_, I quickly rebuked myself._ That's not going to happen any time soon, and there's a million good reasons why it shouldn't_. I had Covies to fight and defeat at present, not to mention a company that was counting on my leadership; I couldn't afford to get pregnant now, not with everything that was happening in the war. Bravo Company had only recently lost its entire command structure during the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV, and it would be a huge blow to morale if their new commander was out of the fight so soon after taking charge. Still, those weren't the only considerations I had to take into account: what would Willis think about the idea? How would Gabriel react? And how could I have another child when I was frequently separated from the one I already had?

_Fucking Covenant_, I thought to myself. As usual, the bastards were deciding things that should have been mine---and Willis's---to decide.


	5. Chapter 4: No Greater Weapon

**Chapter Four: No Greater Weapon than a Marine and His Rifle**

**0630 Hours, August 2, 2552. Europa Base, City of Cote D'Azur. "The Training Sessions," Planet Sigma Octanus IV. Prologue to the Invasion of Earth**

I could feel the sweat running down my back and hanging off my eyebrows, sometimes going far enough to be able to seep into my eyes and sting them. As much as I enjoyed summers and all they stood for---sandy beaches, hot guys at said beaches, and even hotter nights with said guys at said beaches---the one thing I could live without was doing PT in the blaring sun. After my week in the Reatan Desert on Heath, of course, this didn't faze me so much anymore, but I still wasn't a huge fan.

"You newbies paying attention?" I yelled, lifting my body for what must have been the trillionth pull-up of the day.

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Pull-ups are an art form," I said, trying to block out the hell my arm muscles were giving me. _Up, down_. "I trust you all learned this in Basic." _Up, down_. "But in case you haven't, you'll get it spoon-fed to you here." _Up, down_. "If there's one thing I can't stand---" _Up, down_. "---it's a lazy-ass masquerading as a Marine." _Up, down_. "I will not have it in my company, newbies. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"We've all had our warm-up calisthenics this morning with Lieutenant Lewis?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"We've all had our Wheaties at chow?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"I've shown you the proper technique?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Then get to it, newbies! When you're finished I want to see push-ups, sit-ups, and then we go for a light jog! That sound like fun to you, newbies?"

"Delightful, ma'am!"

I grinned as I finally dropped down from the bars: that last response had been suggested by Dean Lewis earlier this morning, and I'd taken a particular liking to it. "Delightful" sounded much more cheerful than your ordinary "yes," and it gave a little variation to the Marines' otherwise repetitive replies. And in Bravo Company, it was all about mixing things up and keeping the blood flowing through those vessels…at least as far as physical training was concerned.

The replacements for Bravo Company, fifteen men and women in all, had arrived on-planet late last night. When I'd had the platoon sergeants wake up all the newbies for PT at five this morning, there had been plenty of complaining; they'd only gotten four hours of sleep, they protested. After having a hearty laugh, I'd explained very carefully to my new crop of Marines that in combat, that qualified as a full night's rest. Thus to the PT field it was.

The regular Marines of Bravo Company were all used to this routine by now, as Captain Kingston, too, had been adamant about staying in proper physical shape. In my own experiences from Heath, Cote D'Azur, and my earlier campaigns, I had found that being able to run at a full sprint while under fire was often a lifesaver. So, now that I had my own bunch of leathernecks to command, I chose to push them even harder in that respect. I knew that one day their peak physical condition could determine whether they lived or died, and I wanted to give my Marines the best possible advantage now so that they had the greatest chance of survival later. It made sense in my mind, but some of the members of Bravo weren't so convinced it was worth the trade-off. _Well, they'll certainly discover how wrong they are whenever we get deployed next_, I thought. At present, as I was busy dealing with the newbies, Lewis had taken over PT with the regulars for today; they were training separately on another field while I broke in the fresh kids.

Once the replacements had completed their pull-ups, I joined them on the field again for the rest of the exercises. Finally, with the sun brighter and hotter than ever, it was time for our light jog. Ah, I could hear those complaints now, flowing into one ear and out the other…

"Newbies!" I called, wiping the sweat off my face with my shirt as I waited for an answer. Currently, I was wearing the standard-issue physical training gear: gray T-shirt, dark blue shorts, and white track shoes and socks. The letters UNSC-MC were stenciled on the front of the shirt and shorts, and my last name was printed just below the acronym. Though I hadn't really noticed before, I found as the morning wore on that the replacements' shirts were helping me learn their names faster.

"Roys!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Tell the rest of your newbie buddies that if they don't form up _right now_, we'll be turning our short jog into a marathon."

A horrified look came upon his sun-burnt face. "Y-yes, ma'am!"

Within seconds, the newest members of Bravo Company stood in formation and, sweat pouring from their bodies, waited anxiously for the run to begin. I resisted the urge to smile as I stepped forward, facing the group of Marines that were standing at attention in front of me.

"I know you're all new to Cote D'Azur, newbies. So, in the spirit of getting you all acquainted with your new post, I'll lead you Marines for a run towards the city. Before you kids got here, Bravo Company spent forty days in that hellhole fighting Covies all by their damned selves, and then spent months cleaning house. When you're fully integrated into the company in a couple days, don't be surprised we don't jump for joy when we go near there. Ready to get those legs moving, newbies?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Upon completion of our twelve-mile run some time later, I had the red-faced and dripping newbies hit the showers before we continued our day with weapons training. I knew they probably all hated me by now, but I also knew they'd eventually discover how important PT could be to prolonging their lives. I figured that would be about the same time I'd fall back into their favor.

Even now that I hadn't been on the front for a while, I just couldn't help but love showers. During tours of combat, when you were out there fighting for weeks or months on end, getting clean was only a fantasy. As with other things in life, the quickest way to appreciate what you had under normal circumstances was to get those things taken away in times of stress. I stood under the shower for as long as possible, which unfortunately meant less than five minutes for us ground troops. Still, the fact that I was able to get thoroughly clean made me one happy Marine.

For the next phase of instruction---which included going through obstacle courses, live-fire exercises, and war games---I had the replacements change into some light battledress uniforms. Before I allowed them to handle weapons in the war games and exercises, however, I had them practice at the firing range. Their skills should have been honed during Basic, of course, but the last thing I wanted was some overconfident or inept kid shooting his buddy's face off during practice maneuvers. Eventually, everything the replacements did today would allow me to analyze their individual strengths and weaknesses; that knowledge would be indispensable when it came to their later integration into the company.

Dressed in green camouflage battledress and standing before my newbies once more, I held an assault rifle in my hands. Checking the weapon to make sure the safety was off before I spoke, I turned to face the Marines; they were now surrounding me in a tight training circle.

"For those of you who may not be familiar with this beauty of a weapon, it's an MA5B assault rifle. You may or may not have trained with it in Basic, because the UNSC is in the process of phasing it out in favor of the MA5C assault rifle and the BR55 battle rifle. I've fought with all three, however, and found that in cases where you don't need the scope, it's best to stick to the older model. You may be issued an MA5B here in Bravo Company, so I want you to learn how to use it." I turned the gun over in my hands, letting the replacements see the rifle's features.

"The MA5B is similar to the newer MA5C in many respects: shape, weapon type, magazine-fed, etc. They also both fire 7.62 x 51mm rounds, one tungsten and the other FMJ, respectively." I pulled out the MA5B's clip and then produced an MA5C clip from my pocket. Holding the two magazines together, I showed the newbies the variation in size. "But, as with all things, there are also differences. One of the main ones, as you can see, is clip size. The MA5B operates on a sixty-round clip, while the MA5C cuts that number virtually in half with thirty-two. MA5Cs are much more accurate and powerful, but the trade-off, obviously, is your number of rounds." I paused, remembering the time I was shoved out the window by an Elite. I was almost certain that if I'd had an MA5B---the gun with the larger clip---in my hands that day instead of an MA5C, I could have avoided the broken ribs and concussion I'd received from the fall. But, after surviving that and the rest of the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV, I was just glad to be alive.

Gesturing to the weapons racks and firing range, I concluded, "Well, let's see what your marksmanship's like, newbies. After that, we'll test your agility at the obstacle course, how you handle yourself with rounds coming at you, and then we put it all together with a war game tonight. The whole company will be involved in that one, so make sure you train hard now. Wouldn't want to make fools of yourselves in front of the vets, right?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Does that sound like an exciting line-up, newbies?"

"Delightful, ma'am!"

This time, I let them see my grin. "Excellent, newbies. We'll make members of Bravo Company outta you yet."


	6. Chapter 5: Happily Ever After On Hold

Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews! They're really great and it's always awesome to hear what you guys think about the chapters, so keep 'em coming! In the meantime, I'll do my darnest to crank out some more chapters. I've actually already started the next few ones, so I'll be updating as soon as they're done.

Hope you continue to enjoy, please review, and peace!**

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Chapter Five: Happily Ever After On Hold **

**2237 Hours, July 11, 2552. Cooper Residence, St. Louis, MO. "The Revelation," Planet Earth. Prologue to the Invasion of Earth**

Willis, Gabe, and I had had a good system going for the past four days that suited us quite nicely: in the daytime, when our son was awake, Willis and I devoted ourselves entirely to our little boy. We played games with him in the house or the backyard, took him out for strolls in the city, and brought him to the usual places young toddlers liked to visit. Once we put Gabe to sleep in the late evening, however, the nights were reserved for Willis and I to have some time alone together. And so far, this arrangement had been working out perfectly for everyone involved.

Today, on the other hand, had been one of those difficult days, the ones where Murphy's Law liked to employ itself many times in a short period. Although the day had begun much like the others during my shore leave, with my mother off to work early and my family and I left by ourselves, the situation soon began to rapidly deteriorate.

After waking up four days in a row with both his parents home, Gabe was starting to get over having us back. Consequently, his cheerful mood of the past ninety-six hours gradually gave way to his "terrible twos," and he'd been cranky all day long. Tensions formed and tempers flared between the three of us, and Gabriel's frequent tantrums and bouts of frustrated crying certainly didn't help matters any. I'd had a feeling things had been going too well recently, but I was still surprised to find the circumstances altered so suddenly.

At the moment, following attempts at everything from coaxing to cuddling to driving, I had only just managed to get Gabe to fall asleep. I was utterly exhausted, maybe even more so than when I was out on the lines for long stretches, and all I wanted to do was sleep. As I finally ambled toward the bedroom, I found myself wondering what this day would have been like with two upset children instead of one. Yeah, I'd have pretty much collapsed sometime in the early afternoon instead of late at night.

Even so, I couldn't escape that nagging thought of having another child. As bad as today had been, I still loved Gabe and Willis more than anything, and they alone made me the happiest. Though it seemed hard to believe, I was still convinced it would be great to have a fourth person in that equation.

_I'm always finding new ways to make life more challenging for myself, aren't I_? I thought as I reached for the door.

"Not tonight," were the first words that came out of my mouth when I entered. "I'm tired as hell, and I'm still mad at you." Though I couldn't for the life of me remember what Willis and I had fought over earlier, I was sure it was something I was supposed to be angry about.

"I wasn't asking," Willis replied bitterly, facing away from me as I walked across the room.

"Good," I snapped. God, he could be so infuriating sometimes. "I just spent the last hour and a half trying to put your son to bed, and the least you can do is not act like a jerk when I come in."

"He's your kid, too, you know."

"Willis, _I'm_ the one who gave birth to him. Don't you think I know that?"

"And yet his behavior is my fault, apparently."

"That's not what I said, and that's not what this is about."

My husband suddenly turned to look at me. "Then what _is_ this about, Natalie? Just venting your frustrations at me?"

Why couldn't I remember what we'd had our fight over before? That knowledge would have come in handy right about now. I let out an exasperated sigh. "Look, Willis, I don't have the energy to do this right now."

He glared at me. "Then maybe you shouldn't start next time."

"Me? You're the one who's already pissed the moment I walk through the door."

"Now I _know_ you're really talking about yourself, and not me."

"Huh?"

"_You_ said you were still angry with me before you even came in."

"Do you even realize how ridiculous you're being?"

"Why, 'cause you're better?"

I'd changed out of my clothes and into light pajamas---a tank top and shorts---during our argument. Presently, I marched up to the bed and pulled roughly on the sheets, trying to stay as close to the edge as possible. While I situated myself, I muttered absently, "Forget it. I'm not having your child again, Willis."

There was complete silence for a long time, and I prayed my husband hadn't heard what I'd said; he wasn't supposed to know what I'd been thinking about these past few days. Two whole minutes passed before Willis finally spoke.

"What…what did you say?" he asked quietly, rolling over to listen to my response.

Oh, crap. Had I really just thought out loud? _Me and my stupid brain, telling my stupid mouth to say stupid things…_

"Nothing," I answered, hoping he would drop the subject.

"Natalie, I heard you. Did you say you…" Willis swallowed hard, and when he continued, his voice was barely above a whisper. "You said you weren't going to have my kid again."

"Willis, it just slipped---"

"Does that mean you did want to have another one?"

This wasn't exactly how I'd envisioned telling Willis.

"No," I lied.

"Look at me, Coop." His tone was different now, much softer than the one he'd been using before.

Reluctantly, I turned over to face him. "What do you want, Willis?"

He hesitated for just an instant. "I want to have another child with you, Natalie."

I was so stunned by his reply that I was sure I hadn't heard him correctly. "What?"

For the first time all day, he smiled at me. "I think we should have another kid, Coop. And please stop calling me Willis. You only call me that when you're mad at me, or when you're in need of an interjection."

"Yeah? And what makes you think I'm not still mad?"

"I know you probably are, but I'm hoping that maybe you won't be when I apologize." He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Cooper. I didn't mean for today to go so badly, and I'm sorry for whatever I may have done to make it worse." He paused, then said, "And I'm sorry for being a jerk when you came in."

I smiled at him. "I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry for today, for instigating when I came in, for all of it."

Willis moved closer and, now that we were both lying on our sides facing each other, he put his arms around me. "I hate it when we fight, Natalie."

"That makes two of us, Will."

"So let's try to not do it anymore," he said. Then he kissed me before adding, "I love you."

"I love you, too," I replied, kissing him back. When I felt his hands begin to wander, however, I stopped him. "But I'm still too tired."

He gave me a sheepish grin as he backed off. "It was worth a try." Willis was silent a moment before his expression changed. "You were serious, weren't you? When you said you didn't want another kid? Because honestly, I've been thinking about it a lot lately. Those weeks I thought you were dead just about killed me, and the minute I found out you were still alive…" He trailed off. "Well, I've thought about a second child ever since."

"Of course I wasn't serious, Will," I said. "The thought occurred to me a few days ago, and it's been the number one thing in my head since."

Willis frowned. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I wasn't sure how you'd react to the idea." I sighed, knowing how awful this was going to be for him to hear, and how much I wished it weren't true. "Plus, I can't right now, Will."

His frown deepened. "Why? I mean, Gabe's two now, so that's a reasonable age gap. And if you're worried about how he'd deal with---"

"Well, of course there's that, and it's definitely near the top of the list. But what I really meant was Sigma Octanus Four."

"What about it?"

"Will, my company lost sixteen Marines, not to mention its two top officers. I've only just taken over officially, and I'm the one who saw them through most of the battle. They trust me, and they're counting on me to lead them. I can't leave them hanging for nine months while they're out fighting Covies, not after they already lost two commanders in the span of a few days. It would just be another punch in the gut for them."

"Yeah, but…what about us? Our family?"

Christ, that was the same question I asked myself everyday. My top priority had always been---and still was---my family, but is that what I'd been demonstrating in reality? I swallowed hard before answering. "I want this just as much as you do, Will, believe me. But now's not a good time."

He let out a heavy sigh. "So what do we do?"

"What my company needs most right now is stability. They need a complete and fixed, _unchanging_, command structure for the time being. Besides, I wouldn't want to be out of the fighting for that long, anyway. There's too much happening at present that I don't want to be benched for."

"I guess that makes sense. But what does that mean for us? We wait until the war's over to have another kid? Come on, Coop, who knows when that'll happen."

I snorted. "No, I definitely don't want to wait that long," I said, mostly because I had no inkling that the war would be over by early March. For all I knew at the time, it would continue to go on for years; the Human-Covenant War had already gone on for longer than I'd even been alive, and I was twenty-five. "Listen, how about we do this: I'll give my company a year. Twelve months is more than sufficient to establish a constant in the leadership position, and it still allows us to have another baby in a timely fashion. How does that sound?"

Willis mulled it over for a moment before he slowly nodded. "All right. One year then, huh?"

"Yeah, unless the war ends, of course. Whichever comes first."

He gave me a look. "So you're still basically telling me a year."

I smirked at him. "We'll see about that, won't we? Damn Covies can't keep hanging on forever."


	7. Chapter 6: Rank and Command

**Chapter Six: Rank and Command Come With a Price**

**1949 Hours, August 5, 2552. Europa Base, City of Cote D'Azur. "The Active Discourse," Planet Sigma Octanus IV. ****Prologue to the Invasion of Earth**

In some ways, briefings could probably be equated to pushing papers in an office: both happened behind closed doors, both tended to point out the obvious to anyone with half a brain, and both were agonizingly boring. The only difference in the case of the briefings was that, at the very least, you were surrounded by other people while you made feeble attempts to stay awake.

"Captain Cooper? Anything you'd like to add?"

I snapped out of whatever world my mind had traveled off to and stared at Major Phillips. From the look he gave me, I gathered that I was supposed to say something pertaining to the discussion. Except what in God's name had they been rambling about? _Shit_, I thought.

"Uh, no, sir. Nothing to add," I replied. I knew I wasn't going to be able to get away with that answer, but maybe this would force him to repeat the question.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise before he regained composure. "Cooper, you've been training the replacements for three days now. Give me a progress report on your company status, Captain."

Ah, success. "Yes, sir. The newb---the replacements are doing very well, Major. We've gone through PT, obstacle courses, orienteering, marksmanship, weapons and tactics, and war games so far. The majority of the replacements have fared exceptionally well, sir, and those that haven't are getting the hang of it now."

The battalion commander nodded. "Anyone worthy of mentioning for any particular task, Captain Cooper?"

I took a moment to think before answering. "Yes, sir. Private First Class Kenyon Roys, sir. He's amazing at demolitions. Knows his explosives inside and out, Major."

"Sounds like a young kid. How old is he?"

"I've been looking over the new roster, sir, trying to get to know all the replacements. Roys is nineteen years old, sir, from Michigan, on Earth. He's a good kid, doesn't cause trouble or complain, and he's prompt when it comes to following orders."

Major Phillips nodded again. He looked over his datapad for several seconds before turning to face me once more. "I see here on your company training sheet that you have another war game scheduled for 0100 hours tonight." He chuckled. "I suppose I should say early tomorrow morning."

"Yes, sir, Bravo is having another war game. Can't ever be too prepared, Major."

The three other company commanders in the room barely managed to stifle their snickers. I hated it when they did that; it always made me feel stupid, and that was something I just plain wasn't. I resisted the urge to glare at the men sitting around the conference table. They were pretty nice guys, after all, and their only collective vice was that they liked to remind me of my youth far too often.

Captain Nicholas Forger was Alpha Company's commander, and he was easily a decade older than me. He had brown hair and brown eyes, and for some reason he was really obsessed with sidearms. He also had the biggest collection of pistols I'd ever seen, including a couple of museum relics that had been passed down in his family for generations: a Nazi Germany Luger and a United States Colt .45. The two pistols were probably the coolest ancient weapons I'd ever laid eyes on.

Captain Oliver Hayden led Charlie Company of the 102nd, and he was normally a pretty funny guy. He was a real hard-ass when it came to training, though, so I guess I'd learned my own methods from him. Hayden was also the youngest of the other three captains, and that was most likely the reason why I found I related better to him than the others. He was thirty years old, married with three kids, and a complete nut. Not surprisingly, he got along really well with Dean Lewis when the three of us were off-duty. He wasn't quite our third muskateer, but he was damn near close.

The third and oldest captain in the battalion was Joseph Malone, and he was the one I had the most trouble figuring out. Delta Company's commander was a dark-haired, dark-eyed Marine with an all-around gloomy disposition. Still, despite being morose a good chunk of the time, he was a fierce fighter who never gave up. I think that's why I admired him, even if he didn't fit the usual definition of a respectable military officer.

My mind suddenly returned to the present again when I heard Major Benjamin Phillips sigh. "Well, that's all I've got for now. It's good to hear that everything seems to be going well for once, and I'm proud of the job each and every one of you is doing. Captain Cooper?"

"Sir?"

"Keep me posted on the replacements' status. I expect them to be fully integrated into Bravo by tomorrow evening."

"Consider it done, Major."

The major nodded, then turned to face the other captains once more. "Are there any final pressing issues? Any of you?"

When the other officers shook their heads, I took that as my cue. "Sir? Permission to speak, sir?"

"Of course, Captain. Go ahead."

"Just one last item, Major," I said as I looked over my datapad. "I've made some changes to my company roster, sir, to fill in the gaps left from our previous campaigns. There was some shuffling around of personnel, and I'm planning on promoting Lieutenants Samson and Frederick, sir."

"That's fine, Cooper. Be sure to send me the details on my datapad."

"Yes, sir."

The major glanced at the rest of the company commanders, but they remained silent. "All right then, Captains. Next briefing will be in four days' time at 0800 hours. Dismissed."

"Sir!" The other three captains and I saluted before making our exit, and I braced myself for the ribbing as soon as I walked out the door.

I wasn't disappointed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A few minutes later, I found myself standing in the mess hall as I passed the time before my company's war game tonight. It had been a long day as usual, full of intense training in the morning and sleep-inducing paperwork in the afternoon. Add the evening briefing to all that, and I ended up being pretty beat. So, I'd come to the mess in search of some good, strong coffee to keep me going for the rest of the night. Bravo and I were officially off-duty until the war game started, anyway.

I was on my second cup when Lieutenant Lewis came in. Spotting me almost immediately, he grinned and all but bounded towards me. Even for sometimes crazy Dean, this was out of the ordinary. I stood leaning against the wall of the mess and watched him as I sipped my drink.

My best friend was breathless by the time he reached me.

"Natalie, I have absolutely wonderful news," he said, his grin getting even wider.

"Yeah, what's that? Is the war finally over? 'Cause that would be the only event that would justify the scene you're making right now," I replied, grinning back. Sometimes I could swear his smile was contagious.

The lieutenant shook his head. "No, Cooper, it's not quite that, but it's still fucking brilliant."

"Well? Spit it out already, Dean."

"Got a letchip from my wife today, Cooper. She's pregnant. Natalie, I'm going to have another child! Isn't that amazing?"

"Oh my God, Dean, that's great," I said. "Congratulations, buddy." Though I didn't mean for it to happen, the response came out sounding hollow---even to my own ears.

Meanwhile, my friend continued talking at a speed that was hard to follow. "She's just found out, Claire said, and she's about a month along. I can't believe---" He suddenly stopped speaking and looked at me. "Natalie, you look rather pale. Are you all right?"

I turned my gaze down to my boots. "Crap, I'm really sorry, Dean. I'm happy for you, I really am, because you're my best friend and I love you like a brother and---"

"Uh, Natalie…"

"I'm being a selfish bitch, I know. Christ, buddy, I'm sorry." I was starting to feel sick.

Lewis put his hands on my shoulders and looked at me, a faint smile on his lips. "Natalie, I hope you're aware that you're rambling. And what's this rubbish you're talking? Don't be so hard on yourself, first of all, and second, tell me what's going on."

It took me a minute to muster the guts to glance up at him. "Wanna sit down for a sec?"

"Of course," Lewis answered.

We sat at the nearest table, thankfully clear of other military personnel. I took a deep breath before I began.

"I feel horrible for stealing your moment, Dean, really I---"

"Cooper." Lieutenant Lewis gave me a stern look. "Get on with it."

"Right. It's just…" I sighed, then continued, "Will and I really want to have another baby, too, Dean. And I'm fucking everything up."

"Oh? And why is that? Having a bit of a quarrel, are you?"

I shook my head. "No, it's not that. I just have a bad case of divided loyalties, I guess."

When my friend glanced at me with a curious expression on his face, I couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't look at me like that. I meant that if we were to have another kid, I'd get pulled from the lines. I can't do that to Bravo, Dean. We lost everybody at the top during the battle, and the last thing they need is another two-minute commander."

Lieutenant Lewis was silent a moment before he offered me a small grin. "Devotion to duty. I don't think I've ever seen it expressed so wholly. Are you sure that arseface Smythe was talking about you when he said you'd abandoned your lads?"

I laughed a little. "Yeah, I'm sure. Besides, I have some selfish reasons, too. I'm not quite the saint you make me out to be."

"Yes? And what are those so-called 'selfish' reasons?"

I shrugged. "Really, I just don't want to be out of the fighting right now. I think after Cote D'Azur, I realized that we could be on the brink of a pivotal moment. I can feel it, Dean. And I want to be there for my Marines, to lead them…and I wouldn't want to miss out for myself, either." I attempted a grin, but my heart wasn't really in it. "You've got it good, buddy. You get the kid and the fight. I've gotta choose."

"I'm sorry, Natalie. I truly am. You deserve your fight just as much as you deserve the second child you long for."

"Thanks, Dean." Damn, how did he always know the right thing to say? Before I could wrap my head around that question, Lewis was speaking again.

"What does your husband think about all this?"

I took a long drink from my cup of coffee before I answered. "He wants another kid as bad as I do. But he understands my precarious position, and he told me he was willing to wait, at least for a while. So we made a deal." I suddenly looked up at my friend and gave him a full-fledged grin. "I've got one year to end this war, buddy. Then it's back to barefoot and pregnant for us womenfolk."

Lieutenant Lewis burst out laughing. "You're always very eloquent with your words, Cooper."

A silence came between us then, and it lingered for several long seconds. Finally, I said, "I meant what I said earlier, Dean, even if it lacked the enthusiasm it should've had. I'm really happy for you, buddy."

Lewis grinned at me. "Thank you, Natalie. I can't wait to find out if it's a boy or a girl. I wouldn't mind a little son now that we already have a beautiful girl, but two daughters would be delightful as well." He reached across the table and patted my shoulder. "And just think, Cooper: at this very moment next year, we'll both be parents for the second time."

I finished the last of my coffee and threw it in the trash before I faced Dean. "Yeah. Good times, huh?"

By the time we stood from the table and went our separate ways, we were both grinning. It was only as I was walking back to my quarters that a sudden thought occurred to me.

What if we didn't live to see another year?


	8. Chapter 7: Haunting Memories

Author's Note: The next chapter is here! Hope you enjoy, and I'll try to finish up Ch. 8 this weekend. Reviews are super great and very motivating, so please leave feedback! Thanks and peace!

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Chapter Seven: Haunting Memories**

**0305 Hours, July 14, 2552. Cooper Residence, St. Louis, MO. "The Cover of Darkness," Planet Earth. Prologue to the Invasion of Earth**

Dreams were never meant to be this bad.

I could feel myself running, running hard and fast through the pitch-black streets. Something heavy was in my hands, but I didn't have time to look down yet. I knew I was being chased by some type of creature, maybe a member of the Covenant; there were indeterminate animal noises coming from behind me. While whatever-it-was rushed towards me, my feet continued to pound the pavement as I sprinted around a corner. But that's as far as I got.

Water began to fall from the sky, and my boots lost traction on the slick asphalt underneath. In seconds I was slipping and crashing to the ground. A sickening _crunch_ echoed through the wet alley as pain shot through my face; apparently I wasn't wearing a helmet for some reason, and the sudden impact broke my nose. As my hands were immediately reaching for my injured body part, I could feel a thick liquid begin to seep through my fingers. That's when I finally realized that the gigantic puddle I was lying in wasn't made up of water.

The rain coming down from the sky was actually blood.

With adrenaline suddenly spiking throughout my entire body, I made an attempt to stand back up and get the hell out of this place. Cupping a hand under my bleeding nose, I'd managed to get on my knees before the creature was upon me. The animal-like beast grabbed onto the back of my neck with a massive fist and drove my face into the sidewalk.

I tried to scream as my nose was realigned by the blow, but, as often is the case in a nightmare, there was some unexplainable reason why I was prevented from doing so. Instead, I found myself being lifted off the ground by the creature. I'd finally been caught.

Except there was still that heavy object in my hands.

I could taste the thick blood in my mouth, felt even more of the stuff spilling down my nose and falling from the sky. And yet, I managed to get my mind to focus only on the item I was cradling in my arms. I looked down and saw that it was dark gray, leaden, and intricate in design. But most of all, it was an instrument of survival, something I could use when I got in a tight spot---like now.

I raised the butt of the weapon and smacked the creature in the abdomen with one swift motion. I knew I'd succeeded when I heard a loud howl in my ears. The beast let go of me, and I was finally able to turn around to see what it was.

The thing was like nothing I'd ever seen before, some strange mix between the most deadly of the Covenant races: part Hunter, part Brute, and part Elite. No wonder it had been able to so thoroughly smash my face against the pavement.

I didn't stick around to finish gaping at the thing; the hulking uber-Covie freaked the living hell out of me, gun or no gun, and so I immediately turned to run. Everything in the dream suddenly went into slow motion, however, and it was like trying to run underwater. I stared down at my combat boots, willing them to move faster, and that's when I finally noticed what was lying at my feet.

Sprawled out in the bloody rain, the bodies of three people I'd come to know and respect were formed up around me, keeping me from making my escape. Private James Beesner lay in front of me, his mangled leg spurting blood; Lieutenant Tracey Graham lay on my right, her guts spilling out on the sidewalk; and Captain Jeremy Kingston lay on my left, his head cracked open like a watermelon and bleeding. All bore the same wounds that had killed them in real life, but the dream world made the horror of the reality pale in comparison.

When I opened my mouth to scream a second time, it worked.

My legs were definitely moving now, though I still had no idea why the circumstances had suddenly changed. The only thing I knew for sure was that those dead bodies were now calling after me, their voices getting louder and louder the farther I got.

"Natalie. Natalie. _Natalie_!"

I inhaled sharply as I woke up, and even before I opened my eyes, I could feel someone's hands on me. With the nightmare still vivid in my mind, I immediately started to struggle.

"Whoa! Natalie, it's me. It's me!"

Finally opening my eyes, I saw that the shadowy figure next to me was Willis. Relaxing in his grip, I took a deep breath before I asked, "Was that you? The one who was calling my name?"

"Yeah," my husband replied, letting go of my arms. His face was close to mine, and I could see the concern written all over it. "You were crying, Coop."

"Huh?" Without really thinking about it, I placed a hand on my cheek; sure enough, it felt wet to the touch. _Christ,_ _what's with the fucking waterworks?_ I wondered.

"Natalie?" Willis waited until I looked back at him before continuing. "I'm worried about you, Coop. Are you ok?"

"Me? Yeah, of course," I answered, trying to sound nonchalant. _Please don't say it_, I prayed silently. _Please, _please_ don't_---

Willis swallowed. "Sometimes, when we come back from especially long or difficult missions, our commanders…talk to us during the debriefings. Ask us about some of the things we may have seen or experienced."

I snorted. "Pilot group therapy, huh?"

He scowled at me. "It's not therapy. But it _can_ be helpful. Natalie, I know some of the signs."

"Signs? What signs?"

"How long have you been having these dreams?"

Frustrated, I rolled over and faced away from him. "Go back to sleep, Will."

But I knew Willis, and he was never one to give up that easy. Instead of listening to me, he leaned over and rested his chin against my shoulder. "Cooper…"

"What?"

"Talk to me."

"Will, it's three in the morning. All I want to do right now is _sleep_."

"The other night, when you first came home," Willis began in a whisper, "you told me that there were things you needed to talk to me about." He paused and waited for me to reply, but I didn't say anything.

There was a long moment of silence, and I was just starting to close my eyes when my husband tried again.

"Natalie, what the hell happened on Sigma Octanus Four?"

Only Willis had a way of asking an otherwise harsh question in a gentle tone of voice; he wasn't angry with me, just upset at what I'd had to endure that made me so reluctant to speak.

"I also said something else that night, Will," I said quietly. "I told you I wasn't going to tell you about the battle in Cote D'Azur until my last day. And you said that was fine."

"Yeah, but I didn't know you were having these intense nightmares."

"They're not intense. They're just bad dreams, like all the rest."

"So crying in your sleep is ok with you? Because it's not with me." He let out a long sigh before he spoke again, and I could hear the reluctance in his voice. "Listen, Coop, post-traumatic stress can be---"

There. He'd said it. Shit, he'd really _said_ it.

"I'm done talking, Willis. I'm going to continue sleeping now, and you're going to leave me alone. All right?"

I heard him work his jaw for a moment, and I knew he wasn't going to let it go. But, much to my surprise, he finally rolled onto his back again without another word. A few minutes later, I could already hear his breathing begin to slow; he was fast asleep.

Which was strange, because I was still very much awake.


	9. Chapter 8: Brother, Bar, Message

Author's Note: Got Ch. 8 done a little early, heh. I know the story's kinda sucked so far and I apologize, but I felt the need to take some time to set things up properly (mood, conflicts, and whatnot). So if you've managed to weather the storm of suckitude, I applaud your patience and thank you for not running away. Anyway, here's the next chappie and I hope you'll find it halfway decent. Action coming up very soon, promise! ;-)

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Chapter Eight: My Brother, a Bar, and a Message**

**1404 Hours, August 11, 2552. Europa Base, City of Cote D'Azur. "The Tables Are Turned," Planet Sigma Octanus IV. Prologue to the Invasion of Earth**

I was sitting in my office that afternoon when my aide, Corporal Garian, knocked on my door. I'd been expecting him, of course, since I was the one who'd sent him out earlier. Still, with my mind on other matters, I was slightly surprised by his rapid execution of orders.

"Enter," I said as I stared intently at my datapad.

"Captain Cooper, ma'am? Second Lieutenants Hillburn, Samson, and Frederick have arrived, ma'am."

I glanced at him only briefly. "Thank you, Corporal. Send them in."

"Yes, Captain."

It didn't take long before the three junior lieutenants were standing at attention in front of me. Putting my datapad off to the side for the moment, I looked up at the newcomers. "At ease," I ordered. The three second lieutenants relaxed their postures and then waited for what I had to say.

I took a carefully disguised breath before I began. "As the three of you well know, there have been some obvious changes around here since Cote D'Azur. We lost a lot of good Marines in that city, and you've no doubt noticed the new kids Battalion gathered for us. But more importantly, we lost two officers in that battle, and leadership is something we can't afford to compromise on."

Though the lieutenants were listening intently to my words, I could already sense their growing impatience and curiosity; they wanted to know what all this meant for them personally.

Pulling out one of the drawers of my desk, I grabbed two boxes that had been shoved way in the back. Once I'd placed the two objects on the surface, I turned my attention to the young officers again. They were staring hard at the small containers, and I knew they were wondering why there was one that seemed to be missing.

"I would like to start off by congratulating each of you for your incredible performance during the battle. We were in a lot of dire situations, and the three of you really stepped up when the time came. Bravo Company certainly couldn't have made it out of there alive without you, so thank you all." I stole a quick glance at the boxes, then went on. "Long story short, Bravo is missing a couple of platoon leaders, and I want Samson and Frederick to fill those boots. Think you can handle it, boys?"

"Yes, ma'am," the two men replied. Their voices revealed nothing.

I grinned. "Good, 'cause you didn't have a choice, anyway." I reached across my desk and handed them the boxes; when they opened them, they each found a single silver bar inside. "Congratulations. You're this company's newest first lieutenants."

The pair of Marines grinned at each other before looking back at me. "T-thank you, ma'am."

"All right, well, you'd better listen to your new assignments: Casey, you're staying with second platoon. Zack, you're first platoon's new commander." I gave him a half-joking, half-serious austere look. "I'll be keeping an extra set of eyes on you, kid. Take good care of my former platoon, Samson."

"Of course, Captain."

Finally, I glanced at Lieutenant Hillburn. If she was at all disappointed, she didn't show it. "And Laura?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I'm transferring you to third platoon. Wouldn't want you getting your field experience from another kid, now would you?"

"No, ma'am."

"Great. I'm sure you'll get along well with your new platoon-mates. Now, all of you, remember we have another war game at 1500 hours. I want to see your uniforms bearing the correct rank, and I want you there before your platoon. You are the officers---now the platoon commanders---and you are expected to set the example. Dismissed."

No sooner had the three young officers filed out than Lieutenant Dean Lewis came rushing in. He gave me a quick but precise salute and waited impatiently for me to give him permission to speak.

"Christ, Captain," he said when I'd ordered him at ease. "You didn't tell me you were married to a commander."

I looked at my best friend like he was insane. "Dean, what the hell are you talking about?"

He shot me a questioning look. "Commander Cooper? That's not your husband?"

I shook my head. "Actually, that's my dad, but he died a long time ago. And my husband's a Marine first lieutenant, anyway. His name's William Hawk."

Lieutenant Lewis furrowed his brow. "Come to think of it, this man does look a lot like you---the brown hair and green eyes. But he doesn't seem to be an apparition, and he's definitely far too young to be your father. Unless of course Daddy was about four years old when you were born."

I laughed. "Don't be ridiculous, Lewis. It has to be one of my brothers," I said, suddenly very excited. "Maybe you just got his rank wrong."

My friend shook his head. "No, I distinctly remember a silver oak leaf on his collar and three full stripes on his sleeves, ma'am."

I grinned at Dean. "It's Mark! Damn, he must've gotten a promotion."

"I'm sorry, who?"

"Mark, my older brother. He's the only one of my siblings who joined the Navy. He always wanted to be just like Dad."

I was about to burst right through my office door when I realized Lieutenant Lewis had left out a vital piece of information. "Uh, Dean?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Where is he?"

"Ah, yes, that. Last I saw he was in the mess hall. Said something about starving and couldn't come to see you before he ate." The lieutenant suddenly paled a bit. "Bloody hell. I've just ruined his surprise, haven't I?"

"Yup, probably." I winked at him. "But don't worry, I won't tell. Can you handle the company documents for me while I go track him down?"

"Of course, Captain. Leave everything to me."

"Thanks, Dean. I owe you one."

He grinned. "Yes, ma'am, you are now in my debt."

"I won't forget it!" I called as I all but ran down the hallway. If Lewis was right, and my brother really was sitting at the mess a few buildings down, today was going to be one of the best days I'd had in a while. Mark and I hadn't seen each other since our older sister's funeral, and that had been over two years ago. It would be great to see my favorite sibling again after all this time.

Walking out of the long building that housed the company offices, I had to go past the barracks and a couple of other buildings before I finally reached the mess hall. When I entered the dining area it was packed, and it took me a minute to spot him.

But he was there.

Seated at a table with a handful of other Navy personnel, my older brother was busy inhaling his heaping plate of food at the moment. By the time I got up to his table, he was already polishing off the last few bites remaining on his tray.

"The hell's a group of swabbies doing here, huh?" I asked once I was standing behind Mark. The other three men and two women at the table glanced up first, and all gave me looks of scorn and contempt.

"Fuck off, jarhead," one of them responded.

That's when Mark finally lifted his head. I watched as he looked the other officers in the eyes and said in a dead serious tone, "Don't ever speak like that to my kid sister again, understood?"

Judging by the looks on their faces, they'd just noticed the name COOPER patched on my uniform. It didn't take a rocket scientist to make the necessary connections.

"Holy shit, Commander, we're sorry," the one who'd told me to leave so courteously, a Naval lieutenant, replied. "I had no idea she was your sister, sir."

"Yeah, well, now you know. And I'm not the one you should be apologizing to, either."

The Navy lieutenant looked up at me. "Sorry, Cap'n."

I waved a dismissive hand at him. "Hey, I had it coming. Besides, I was just trying to see if I could rile up my big brother here. He gets real sensitive about his branch of service."

Mark turned his chair so he could see me. "You'd better watch it, Captain," he said with a grin.

"Yes, sir," I answered, grinning back.

Finally, my older brother stood and gave me a giant hug. "It's great to see you, Natalie. I've missed you a lot, you know."

"Yeah, I've missed you, too, Mark. It's been a long time."

"So?" he began as he pulled up a chair for me. He waited until we were both seated before he continued. "Got time for a brief chat, little sis?"

"Nah, I gotta get back in just a few minutes, and I'm on duty until 1800 hours. How long are you planning on sticking around?"

Mark sighed. "Not too long, unfortunately. Our ship's in orbit getting resupplied right now, and she'll be full to the brim by 0900 tomorrow morning. Tell you what, kid, why I don't I come by your office when you get off? Then we can go get dinner and hang out for a while. We're on liberty until the resupply's over."

I shrugged. "Sounds good to me. I'll be waiting for you, bro."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

If I'd thought my focus on mundane garrison work was shot to hell before, the arrival of my brother made the problem increase tenfold. Although I always made it a point to keep my mind concentrated on the task during simulated combat scenarios, the papers on my desk were the items that ended up suffering most. Funny thing was, I didn't even care. I hadn't been able to see Mark in ages, and now he was here for at least a short time.

As soon as I was off-duty in the evening, he stopped by my office and we went to the mess for a bite to eat. We spent the better part of two hours there, just chatting and catching up on all the news in our lives before we finally made our way to the Officers' Club.

Mark ordered two beers, one for each of us, and then turned back to face me. "So I got an abbreviated tour of the city today while you were _presumably_ busy bustin' your ass."

"Yeah? What'd you think?"

"I think you guys did a helluva job with the reconstruction, kid."

I raised an eyebrow. "You sure you don't have something sarcastic or otherwise demeaning to tack onto that statement? Who are you and what've you done to my beloved brother?"

He chuckled, but his face became serious fast. "Mom sent us messages, you know, during the invasion. Said Willis told her you were here now, and me and Allison and Travis believed you were…that you hadn't made it." He swallowed and shook his head, as if to rid himself of the thought. Then, before I could respond, he asked, "Must've had it pretty rough, huh, sis?"

Taking a long drink from my beer bottle, I looked away. "Yeah. I don't really want to talk about it. Promised Will I'd tell him and when I did, it fucked up my whole day afterwards." I gave him a half-hearted grin. "Wasn't pretty, so I'm not going to do it here. I'll give you a brief version, maybe before you take off. Suffice it to say I can hardly stand being in Cote D'Azur sometimes. I get to thinking about all that went on, and then I can almost hear the explosions, see the bodies…"

My brother shivered involuntarily. "I'm sorry, Natalie. I shouldn't have brought it up."

"It's ok. I sleep much better at night now than I used to, and I'm…slowly getting over it. Spending time at home, even for a few days, helped a lot."

Mark was about to reply when my datapad suddenly buzzed.

"Duty calls?" he asked.

"I don't know. I guess we'll see what this is about," I said, genuinely confused. Why did Battalion bother giving me the night off if I was just going to have to deal with something anyway? That was rather annoying of them.

Pulling the electronic device out of my pocket, I gazed at the home screen. ONE NEW MESSAGE, it flashed. When I clicked on the link, a text from Major Phillips popped up on the datapad. By the time I finished reading it, I could tell that the blood had drained from my face.

"Natalie? What is it?" Mark questioned.

But I didn't say anything, not yet anyway; an ice-cold panic gripped me, and I was unable to speak for a moment. It finally got so bad I felt like I was going to throw up---the sudden fear was that intense.

"_Natalie,_" my brother repeated, his voice sharper this time.

Handing him the datapad so he could read the message, I started shaking my head. "_No_. No, no, no, no, no…"

"Oh, fuck…" Mark said once he'd read it. He quickly ran a hand through his cropped hair, licked his lips, then looked back at me. "Natalie, Mom is…"

"There, I know," I replied, somehow finding my voice again. When I met my brother's eyes, I was hanging onto my very last reserves of self-control. "My son and my husband, Mark. Gabriel and Will are there, too."

The Covenant had just found---and promptly invaded---the very planet they were all on. The one whose location the UNSC had managed to keep secret for nearly three decades, and the one whose discovery practically ensured the extinction of the entire human race.

Planet Earth.


	10. Chapter 9: This Is Not a Drill

Author's Note: I've taken a few liberties on this chapter to help it fit better with my version of the story, but I tried to stay as close to canon as possible on this one (excluding the date, obviously). Hope you enjoy, please let me know what you think, and peace!

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Chapter Nine: This Is Not a Drill**

**1546 Hours, August 11, 2552. Above UNSC Orbital Defense Platform _Athens Station, _Just Outside Earth's Atmosphere. "The Way Things Began," Planet Earth. Prologue to the Invasion of Earth**

First Lieutenant William "Willis" Hawk, callsign "Talon," relaxed in the pilot's seat of the C709 Longsword starfighter. He was a Marine, and thus trained for many different types of missions---the chief among them being ground ops, of course. But even during his time at the Academy on Reach, he'd always known he would feel most at home in the cockpit of a ship.

Hawk hadn't been able to fly a Longsword Interceptor, his favorite bird to pilot, since he'd been selected for the prototype training program on Rondurass a year ago. At first, he'd been excited to learn that he'd made the cut, because only the top pilots were allowed the honor. The prerequisites to even be scouted as a possible candidate were already monstrous: prospective test pilots had to have graduated in the top one percent of their class in both flight school and their respective academic universities. Obviously, this whittled down the field considerably all on its own, but the Rondurass trainers weren't quite satisfied yet. Prospective pilots also had to have been involved in at least five campaigns, received a certain number of citations for their combat performances, and shot down something on the order of fifty Covenant aircraft. Twenty-four at the time of his acceptance, Willis had been one of the youngest to qualify, and it was an accolade that made him proud. Still, after piloting the same prototype for so many months, he was glad to finally be training with Longswords again.

The prototype crafts, variations on the standard D77-TC Pelicans, had finally been released for use in the UNSC military as of three weeks ago. Now, Lieutenant Hawk and his squadron of elite pilots were allowed to return to their preferred vessels---the Longswords---until their next deployment. Because of the needs of the prototype project, all the pilots involved had been out of the actual fighting since arriving on Earth; Willis was itching to get into some real dogfights with the Covenant once again. As long as he was blowing Covie bastards to hell in his ship, he felt like he was doing his part to help bring the war to an end. And if he was out saving the human race, Hawk reasoned, he was also keeping his own family safe by extension.

The lieutenant checked his Longsword Interceptor's status boards for the millionth time since take-off, and only then did he allow his gaze to fall on the picture taped to the cockpit.

A small grin began to play across his lips. The photo had been taken just a month earlier, when Natalie had finally come home from Sigma Octanus IV, and it showed one of the more candid moments of his family's otherwise hectic and serious lives. Willis was turned sideways, pulling his wife towards him as he kissed her on the cheek; standing between them and grinning as wide as his parents was their young son, a happy little kid after a day of being spoiled with gifts and attention. Lieutenant Hawk loved the photograph, and he knew Natalie had taken a copy with her when she'd gone back to her unit as well. It was a reminder of the better times, times they'd hopefully get to have in the future. If the war ever ended, that is. And if the Covenant didn't manage to annihilate the human race like everyone thought they would.

Willis sighed and checked his ship's instruments once again. Still no bogies. Where the hell was Captain Ryder with her practice opposing force? Combat exercises were supposed to get the pilots into hairy situations where they had to think, not dull ones where they could let their minds wander.

As he waited for the action to start, Lieutenant Hawk found himself stealing a second glance at the family picture. In doing so, Willis began to recall the tail end of his and Natalie's shore leave. Not surprisingly, the first thought that came to his mind was a pleasant one: him and Cooper making love on their last day together. Hawk smiled to himself. Yeah, that was definitely a good thing to remember.

But his wife's departure soon after made the memory bittersweet. Life was always difficult for both of them when they were separated, and Willis and Natalie never had any idea when they would see each other next. Maybe in several months, as had been the case for the last year or so? Maybe in several years, which was closer to the norm? Or, though neither of them wanted to even consider the possibility, perhaps never again? With the Human-Covenant War still going strong, there was just no way to tell. And leaving his son, of course, had been harder still…

"Talon, this is Snoopy, over."

First Lieutenant Hawk was shaken from his musings by the voice that suddenly flooded his helmet, but he recovered quickly. Suddenly grinning, he replied, "Snoopy, Talon. Read you loud and clear. Any bogies yet?"

"Negative, Talon. Where do you suppose Red Leader went?" First Lieutenant Brandon Heat, callsign "Snoopy" and Hawk's wingmate, asked.

"Wouldn't know, Snoopy. Don't see 'im on the screens," Willis answered.

"Dammit, it's bad enough Blue Leader hasn't made her presence known yet."

Red Leader, in this training exercise, happened to be their squadron commander, Captain Jason Dakota. Blue Leader, their designated "enemy" commander, was Captain Theresa Ryder. But for some reason, both Dakota and the entire Blue team were missing. The occurrence was an odd one, and Hawk had the feeling that the two captains had some tricky maneuvers up their sleeves.

"Talon, Eyeshadow. Found Blue Leader, over." Even over the fuzzy COM channel, Willis managed to recognize the voice as First Lieutenant Jessica Meyers.

"Eyeshadow, Talon. Where?" Lieutenant Hawk looked at his instruments, but he couldn't see anything that indicated the other squadron commander's position.

"Oh, Christ! Talon, she's right on your fucking six!" Lieutenant Heat shouted.

Willis didn't waste any time confirming his wingmate's panicked statement. He simply gripped the controls of the Longsword tighter and sent the starfighter to the left in a tight barrel roll. His split-second decision served him well: had he remained in his previous position long enough to check his boards, his hull would have taken the brunt of Blue Leader's 110mm rotary cannon rounds. That would have made Hawk the first "casualty" of the exercise, a cause for much embarrassment and ribbing once the pilots returned to base. The lieutenant let out a quick sigh of relief before he realized Blue Leader was coming after him again.

"Not bad, Talon," Blue Leader said over the COM channel. "I'll admit that when I snuck up on you, I thought I had it made."

Lieutenant Hawk grinned a second time. "Thanks, Blue Leader. But compliments aren't going to make me let my guard down." As he spoke, Willis maneuvered his Longsword Interceptor through a series of banks to the left and right. Just as he'd predicted, Blue Leader strafed him the whole way.

She'd taken the bait.

_All right, Blue Leader. Let's see how good of a pilot you really are_, Hawk thought. He knew full well that she was an excellent pilot, but the real question he wanted answered was whether she was better than _him_. After all, Captain Ryder, he'd been told, held the squadron record for most Covenant kills. Willis, however, liked to attribute the fact that he was many, many kills behind to their difference in age and time in service. Six extra years had to count for something, right?

_That's exactly right_, Hawk thought. As Blue Leader came strafing behind him with her cannons once again, Willis suddenly jerked the controls of his Longsword up and cut his forward momentum. A single, classic textbook move, and now he was the one who had _her_ in his sights. _This is how you take out a bogie, Talon-style_, the lieutenant thought with a slight curl of his lips.

Lieutenant Hawk was about to wipe Blue Leader off the map when a crackle in his radio made him hesitate. He didn't know why, but he somehow felt that the transmission would be too important to miss.

"Red Leader, are you seeing this?" The voice belonged to Lieutenant Heat.

"Snoopy, Red Leader. Yes, I've been tracking them. That's where I disappeared to a moment ago. Blue Leader?"

"Red, this is Blue Leader. I hear you, over."

"Blue, Red Leader. What do you say we cancel the training and check out just what the hell all these blips are?"

There was only a moment's pause before Captain Ryder answered. "Agreed. That is strange. Base didn't mention another squadron practicing maneuvers out here." There was a brief period of silence, then, "Blue team! Form up on me and let's go for those blips. Heading zero-zero-four-point-two."

"Red team, get behind me and follow the same course," Captain Dakota ordered over the COM channel. Willis obeyed the command, immediately turning his Longsword in the direction of the heading and pushing the starfighter's controls forward.

As he slid into formation alongside the rest of his squadron, Hawk wondered what those blips on the screen could possibly be. Whatever they were, he was going to be pretty pissed when he encountered them; they'd ruined his perfect kill against one of the squadron's best pilots. Now he'd have to work his ass off to get that privilege again, and he couldn't use the same tactics a second time, either. He'd been so freaking _close_…

Lieutenant Hawk's mind was brought back to the present abruptly when he saw a small fireball up ahead. "Jesus! What the fuck was that?" he said through the COM.

"Oh, my God. That was Blue Leader, Talon. She's dead," Captain Dakota announced in an uncharacteristically small voice.

"Red Leader, this is Cougar! Holy shit, these blips are Covenant fighters! I repeat, Covenant Seraphs inbound!" First Lieutenant Eric Davis cried; he was Blue team's XO, now commanding.

Willis suddenly felt as if his heart had stopped. Blue Leader had been killed _and_ the Covenant were here, outside Earth's orbit? The scenario was like something out of a nightmare, and yet it was really happening.

"Cougar, Red Leader. Confirm _Covenant ships_ in-system?"

"Red Leader, Cougar! Covie bastards, Red, I mean it!"

"Cougar! You'd better bank to fucking port!" Willis heard one of Blue team's pilots yell.

Coming up on the battle now, Lieutenant Hawk watched as Cougar maneuvered his Longsword Interceptor out of the way of purple lances of plasma. Blue team's temporary leader just barely managed to get away unscathed.

Hawk could finally see the real-life forms of the blips on his screens; they were Covenant Seraph fighters, all right.

"Red Leader, Talon! Shouldn't we be relaying this to HighCom, or at least base?" Even with the evidence plainly in front of him, Willis was still having a hard time believing the Covies were here, this close to Earth. _How the hell did they find us?_ he thought, his pulse suddenly racing. _And, oh, God, what about my kid who's down there?_

It had been a long time since Lieutenant Hawk had felt sick in the cockpit.

"Talon, Red. I'm uploading data into a compressed file now, but we're too close to the Covie bastards; I don't want them picking up the transmission. I'm breaking off and making a run for the station. Take charge while I send this message, Talon. I'll be along shortly. Is that understood?"

"Affirmative, Red Leader. Talon out." Still in somewhat of a shocked daze, Willis took a deep breath before speaking to the rest of his squadron. "Red team, this is Talon. Come up on me, engage live weapons, and override the manual locks on your Shiva warheads. Repeat, weapons free. Let's take these fuckers out!"

While he'd been speaking, Lieutenant Hawk had jumped right into the middle of the fray between Blue team and the Covenant Seraphs. The teardrop shaped alien vessels were launching lances of plasma at the human spacecrafts, but so far Blue team managed to maneuver out of the way. Coming up on a Seraph himself, Willis gritted his teeth and began strafing with his 120mm ventral guns.

"Drake, I'm gonna do some fancy flying to get these bastards confused," the lieutenant said as he turned to glance at his co-pilot. "Then when I tell you to, I want you to launch a few Scorpion missiles. Prep the nuke and unlock the ASGM-10 missles, too. These Seraph's have to have come from somewhere, and it'll only be a matter of time before the Covenant capital ships show up."

"Y-yes, sir," Second Lieutenant Alexander Drake replied. "Getting heavy weapons hot, Scorpions ready to fire at your command."

Lieutenant Hawk nodded imperceptibly as he pushed the thrusters hard. Rolling to starboard as a couple of Covenant Seraphs tracked him with their plasma weapons, Willis was able to avoid the hail of fire with his maneuver. As soon as he'd completed the roll, he tricked the two Covie pilots by suddenly banking back to port. He came up just underneath the first Seraph, and that's when he let loose a long spray of 110mm rounds with the rotary gun.

"Now, Drake, now! Hit 'im with the Scorpions!" Hawk ordered.

"Firing, sir!" the second lieutenant replied.

The C709 Longsword shuddered slightly beneath Willis's seat as the missiles came free. Lieutenant Hawk drove his starship forward with lightening speed; the last thing he wanted to do was get caught up in the blast formed by his own weapons.

When the Scorpion missiles exploded behind the ship just seconds later, Willis had to hold onto the controls with firm hands to keep the Longsword from spiraling off in a random motion.

"Yeah!" Lieutenant Drake whooped. "Bastard's nothing but a pile o' debris now, El-Tee!"

"Confirmed hit?" Hawk asked. He couldn't believe it had been that easy.

"Confirmed, sir. Seraph was already trailing smoke when we hit it. Must've had its shields destroyed, Lieutenant." Drake looked at him. "Nice set up by the way, sir."

"Save it, kid. We've still got that second one to deal with, and it looks like three more are coming to join the party."

Willis continued pushing the Longsword at its top speeds, banking and rolling occasionally to dodge the streams of plasma. "Red team, this is Talon," he said over the COM channel as he maneuvered. "Disperse with your respective wingmates and engage the enemy fighters. We have to keep them busy while Red Leader relays his message. If you spot a capital ship, then stay the hell away from it. We should be receiving additional orders soon, so standby. Snoopy?"

"Talon, Snoopy. I suppose you want me to keep on your tail?"

Despite the horrible situation, Hawk couldn't help but grin. "You got it, buddy. Let's wreak some havoc, shall we?"

"Now you're talkin'!"

The pair of Longswords had just broken off together when Willis's COM crackled.

"Talon, Cougar. The Seraphs are starting to break formation and haulin' ass for the station! They must've spotted Red Leader heading that way."

"Cougar, Talon. Then we'd better stop them, because if that message doesn't make it to HighCom soon…" Lieutenant Hawk found himself unable to finish all of a sudden.

"Oh, my fucking hell. Is that a…" Drake began to ask, trailing off.

"Covenant capital ship, eleven o'clock off the port side!" Willis cried, suddenly regaining his speech. "Red Leader, this is Talon. We need back-up _now_!"

The fifteen seconds it took Captain Dakota to respond were the longest in Hawk's entire life.

"Talon, Red Leader. I see it, son. I've managed to get the message off, but it looks like the Covies are heading for the station. We'll have to defend it until help arrives, Talon."

Willis couldn't believe his own ears. Two squadrons of Longswords had to go up against four squadrons of Seraphs and a freaking capital ship? They were all screwed, and he knew it. _Humanity will become extinct_, Hawk thought to himself. _The Covenant will take over the planet, first by invading it, then by glassing it_. He felt like he'd been shot in the chest, the sudden sharp pain was so bad. _And Gabriel, my little boy, and eventually Natalie, and then everyone else I know will be dead_. This---a Covenant invasion of planet Earth, the human homeworld---was what the UNSC, HighCom, and others everywhere had feared all along. And now it was happening.

_I'm not going to let them do it_, Lieutenant Hawk vowed. _I want to live; I want the people I love to live. And I'm going to help secure that future, right here, right now._

"Ready to go after 'em, Alex?" Hawk asked as he looked at his co-pilot.

"Yes, sir," Second Lieutenant Drake replied firmly. Hawk was surprised by the young officer's resolve, until he realized that his own voice must have projected much more confidence than he felt. He turned away and shook his head slightly. Command presence was even more powerful than most people cared to admit.

"Snoopy, Talon. Let's do this."

"Right behind ya, Talon. Just say the word," Lieutenant Heat answered.

"Sir! Three Seraphs comin' this way! They're gonna take us out before we get in a defensive formation around the platform!" Drake said.

"No," Hawk replied, narrowing his eyes. "They're going to _try_."

He leaned on the controls of his Longsword and swooped down towards the oncoming alien fighters. If he could only keep them at bay, at least until that capital ship managed to get close enough to reduce his whole squadron to floating metal scraps…

"Red team, this is Red Leader. I want you all to plant your entire store of Moray Space Mines around the perimeter as you fall back. That should keep the bastards busy and cautious, which'll buy us more time. Hold steady and we should be able to get through this all right."

Being chased by a particularly aggressive Seraph at the moment, Hawk didn't have time to comply with the order right away. Instead, he sent his Longsword into a neck-breaking turn before tipping the nose of the starfighter straight down; out in space, there was no real up or down, but the displays on his status board indicated that the Longsword was now in a vertical position.

He could feel the G-forces pushing him back hard against his seat, and his display showed that he and his co-pilot were currently experiencing eighteen Gs. That was probably one of the more unpleasant downsides to flying, Willis thought.

Just when he felt like he couldn't take it anymore, Lieutenant Hawk brought the craft level once more. Rolling to starboard as the Seraph continued to chase after him, Willis decelerated and watched as the alien craft sped past.

"I've got you now, you son of a bitch," Hawk muttered as he fired 110mm rounds at the alien ship. Not a split second later, the lieutenant saw his wingmate dive in from Hawk's port side and loose what must have been a dozen Scorpion missiles.

"And there go the shields!" Lieutenant Heat cried over the COM. "I'll let you have the honor of finishing 'im off, Talon."

Willis smirked. "Yeah, and I'll take it." He drove his starfighter forward and, when he'd arrived at the perfect position, Lieutenant Hawk ordered Drake to launch their own ordnance. Rocketing past the explosion, Hawk flipped his Longsword around, just in case a second pass was needed.

"Confirmed kill, Talon! And what a sweet shot it was!" his wingmate cried.

Hawk let out a sigh of relief and wished he could wipe away the sweat coming down his face. But there wasn't time for that; they still had to let their mines loose and get back to the station. "Ok, Snoopy. Now that that's over with, let's drop our little surprises and head for the _Athens_."

"Roger that," Heat replied.

Lieutenants Hawk and Heat finished planting their mines a short time later. They had just begun maneuvering toward the Orbital Defense Platform when it happened.

Willis stared outside the viewport of his Longsword in stunned silence._ How the hell did the Covenant do that?_ he wondered, the sudden fear making his insides churn.

Somehow, a few of the bastards had slipped past both the mine field and the two squadrons of Longswords. And, as Hawk watched in mounting horror, the aliens detonated a bomb right on the orbital platform.

_Athens Station_ was blown to smithereens a few seconds later.


	11. Chapter 10: Shipping Out

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews everybody! You guys are all great, and it's your feedback that keeps me writing. ;-) Anyway, Ch. 10 is here, and comments are always appreciated. It's been a hectic week so far but I've managed to at least start the next chappie. In the meantime, hope you enjoy this and peace!

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Chapter Ten: Shipping Out**

**0800 Hours, September 13, 2552. Europa Base, City of Cote D'Azur. "The Agonizing Wait and the Good News," Planet Sigma Octanus IV. ****Day Thirty-Four of the Invasion of Earth**

Over a month of pure chaos went by before the first bits of reliable information about Earth came through. The whole of Europa Base had been in an uproar for thirty-four days, with everyone trying to get news about loved ones, fleet movements, and battles. But today was finally the day us military personnel had waited for: deployment orders began to arrive straight from High Command, and the first unofficial casualty lists were released.

Fighting a crowd of several hundred Marines, Helljumpers, and a smaller number of Navy crewmembers, I tried to get a glimpse of the huge sheets of names posted around the mess hall. So far, I'd managed to figure out that the papers on the left side of the hall displayed the names of the presumed dead in alphabetical order, while those on the right were categorized by continent. Seeing as there was a decidedly large group of people in front of the North America sheet, I chose to attempt a gander at Europe. There were masses of soldiers everywhere around the hall, but it was my best bet at the moment.

I took a deep breath as I looked it over, praying silently that I wouldn't find my husband's name on the list. The reports weren't as accurate as one might hope, and there were always some people on the list that didn't belong or ones that should be on the list who weren't. Unfortunately, that was all we had to rely on for the time being. It was always better than no information at all, though.

"Excuse me, Captain, but may I ask who you are searching for?"

Turning around at the sound of the voice, I found myself looking at a civilian government employee. After a second of confusion, I realized that she was probably here to help move the line along.

"Hawk," I responded quickly. "William in Europe, Gabriel in North America."

The woman nodded and glanced down at her datapad. "City and country?"

"Skagen, Denmark and St. Louis, Missouri, United States," I replied. My heart was pounding so hard by now I could hardly hear her when she spoke next.

"No William Hawk from Denmark," the civvie announced. "Actually, none in the whole database. But there _is_ a Gabriel Hawk listed for North America."

_Oh, God_, I thought. _Not my son. Please, _please_, not my little boy. No, this can't be happening…_I suddenly went cold all over, and it took me a while to realize that the woman was still speaking.

"Captain? I am required to inform you that this does not confirm Gabriel Bryan Hawk's death, as it is an unofficial report of casualties. I am also obligated to let you know that…"

I stopped listening then, mostly because I could already feel my chest tearing into a million pieces. She'd used my son's name and the word "death" in the same fucking sentence. _No, he's not gone_, I thought to myself with mounting panic. _Gabe, my little two-year-old son, he can't be…_

It was only as I was about to go into true hysterics that my brain finally registered the name the woman had said. Gabriel _Bryan_ Hawk, not _Matthew_. Strange.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat the name for me?" I asked the woman. "I'm looking for Gabriel Matthew Hawk. Was he it?"

The civvie scrunched her eyebrows and shook her head. "No, Captain. The middle name is Bryan. Forty-eight years old, emergency physician working on one of the orbital platforms."

_Holy shit_, I thought, letting out a long sigh of relief. _It's not him, it's not my kid. My Gabriel's still ok_.

"T-thank you," I said in a shaky voice. _Geez, lady, you almost gave me a full-blown heart attack_, I wanted to add. Once I'd inquired about my mother and discovered that she wasn't on the list, either, I walked away in better spirits. Now that I knew there was a good chance my family members were still alive, the sick feeling I'd had for the past month began to gradually subside. Their well-being wasn't a certainty, not by a long shot, but at least I hadn't found their names on the casualty lists. That knowledge alone was enough to give me hope.

Checking my watch as I exited the mess hall, I noticed that it was past 0800 hours---I was late for the battalion briefing. Major Phillips had sent the company commanding and executive officers messages early this morning, telling us that we'd get our new orders at the meeting. This was good, because I was curious to find out just when the hell we were finally going to Earth. We _had_ been out of the most crucial battle humanity would ever fight for more than a month, after all; surely we'd get to join the fray and do our part soon. _I swear, the moment I get there I'm taking out every Covie son of a bitch I lay eyes on_, I thought, anger suddenly bubbling within me. I wasn't going to let them extinguish my whole species. Not now, not ever.

I was practically fuming by the time I reached the 102nd Battalion briefing room. When I sat down roughly next to Lieutenant Lewis, I noticed that the other captains and XOs had arrived before me. I didn't like coming in late, but I'd had to check to make sure my family was alive and well first. Then, and only then, could I move on to my other important duties.

After I got settled, the first thing my best friend did was lean over and whisper in my ear, "Is everything all right, ma'am?"

"Yeah. They weren't on the list, thank God. Otherwise, I really doubt I'd be sitting here right now, Dean. I'd probably be in the middle of a nervous breakdown of epic proportions," I answered a bit too harshly. Those aliens really knew how to push my buttons, and I couldn't wait to take out all my pent up rage on them. Still, it wasn't very fair to Lieutenant Lewis.

Dean's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but the first lieutenant still managed a small smile. "Of course, sorry. Stupid question. I'd certainly know it if you had lost someone, wouldn't I?"

I was about to reply to my buddy---and apologize for my brusque manner---when Major Phillips suddenly spoke.

"I'm going to make this fairly short and quick, because we've all got a lot of work to do," he began. "So, here goes: we're leaving for Earth in ten days, as part of a wave of fresh reinforcements. Regiment is splitting up the battalions, and it looks like the 102nd will be traveling to Europe for their first fight. But before I reveal where, I'll give you a rapid rundown of what's happened on Earth so far."

The major turned off the lights in the room and began to project images from his datapad on the far wall. Some were soundless clips of battles on and around Earth, and some were still shots. All, however, shared the same characteristic of being absolutely shocking to see.

"A bunch of shit hit the fan when a relatively small group of Covenant ships were found near Io. The bigwigs got understandably panicky, so they had UNSC military personnel prepare to be on the lookout. Only problem was that the brass didn't actually tell the troops they were expecting Covies to show up---didn't want everybody else to freak, too. Sadly, that plan obviously backfired, because the supposedly alert Navy and Marines were caught with their proverbial pants down."

Major Phillips paused in his narration to show a still of one of Earth's Orbital Defense Platforms blowing up in space. "This used to be _Athens Station_. The only reason it even lasted as long as it did was because a couple of squadrons were out on practice maneuvers that day. Pure coincidence, and a helluva fortunate one. The squadron lost a lot of pilots in the ensuing explosion the Covies caused, but at least the ground forces and HighCom were notified of the situation in time.

"Make no mistake about it, the Covies are currently both on the surface and in orbit. A fair amount of other UNSC orbital stations have met the same fate as _Athens_, as well. But the UNSC military has managed to hold on for now, and this will hopefully continue until we arrive to relieve some of the Marine forces."

Phillips halted the cycling images on the projector, leaned against the table, and looked each and every one of us in the eyes before he concluded, "Well, it's time to saddle up, boys and girls. We're going to train our asses off for the next several days and prep everything we need to get into the fight fast. You'd all better get your companies squared away, Captains, 'cause we're going to be killing some alien mother fuckers at UNSC Foxtrot Base soon." The major grinned. "That's in Lienz, Austria, which means Europe for those of you who failed geography in grade school."

When Major Phillips was done talking, I just sat there with what must have been a really dumb look on my face. I couldn't believe what my battalion commander had said.

_Willis_, I thought to myself. _At least_ _I'll finally get to be near him again and be on the same planet, even if I won't see him. __Plus, I'm finally bringing Bravo Company into the fight, too, _I thought with glee. What I didn't immediately take into account, however, was the fact that we'd be departing from Sigma Octanus IV in close to two weeks. And so very much could happen in that amount of time.

In other words, there was no guarantee that anyone I knew would still be alive when I reached Earth.


	12. Chapter 11: Red Orange Flames

Author's Note: The Pelican model in this chapter didn't actually get released in canon until a few months after my date, but you all know I'm fond of moving up the times, lol. Hope you enjoy, please review, and peace!

P.S. Currently working on the next chapter, so keep an eye out. ;-)

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Chapter Eleven: Red-Orange Flames in a Dark Green Forest**

**0403 Hours, September 25, 2552. ****Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. ****"The Color Void," Planet Earth. ****Day Forty-Six of the Invasion of Earth**

He knew it couldn't last forever. There was simply no logical way the Covenant Banshees could sustain their rate of fire for that long. Eventually, Lieutenant Hawk continued to reason, they would have to pause to let their overheated weapons cool and recharge.

Right?

"Drake," Willis said, keeping his eyes firmly on his instruments. He was far too concentrated on dodging fiery-hot lances of enemy plasma at the moment to bother facing his co-pilot.

"Yes, sir?" the second lieutenant seated beside him asked.

"This LZ's gettin' pretty damn hot. Release those canisters, Lieutenant."

Second Lieutenant Alex Drake hesitated for an instant too long, and the slight delay caused Hawk's normally nonexistent temper to flare up.

"Do it now, Drake!"

"Yes, sir!" The other officer, a few years younger than Hawk's twenty-five years, snapped to and carried out the order. Turning back to his screen, he pressed the controls that would deploy the four resuppply Type-C canisters currently onboard; each contained extra weapons for the Marines on the ground, including a single SPNKR rocket launcher. Judging by the heat these Banshees were packing, the devil dogs below were going to need every last one of those surplus guns.

Lieutenant Hawk sent his D77H-TCI Pelican into a quick succession of left-right, right-left motions to create a zigzag pattern. Despite having five Covenant Banshees trailing him, Willis was confident in his ability to outmaneuver the alien ships; the Pelican he was flying was the end result of the prototype program he'd been in recently. Hawk had flown these dropships in simulators, training sessions, and combat runs countless times over the course of the past year, so this should be a piece of cake.

_Yeah, right_, the first lieutenant thought. _Too bad things never turn out quite the way they should._

After spending thirty-two days dogfighting Covies above Earth---and with precious few breaks in between---Hawk had been beyond utter exhaustion. When he'd finally returned to his base in Denmark, Willis had hoped for at least three full days of rest. It wouldn't have been nearly as much time as he'd need to work through the emotional shock of losing half the pilots in his squadron, but at least it would be a chance to recuperate. Thanks to the Covenant, however, Lieutenant Hawk had had no such luck.

What little that remained of his squadron was reassigned to fly close-air support missions over various parts of Europe. The news had been bad enough on its own; being separated from his wingmate and best friend, Lieutenant Brandon Heat, had been even worse. The last thing Hawk needed was to feel like he was losing someone else. And since he still had absolutely zero news concerning his wife, where she may have been deployed or whether she was on Earth at all…

Willis concluded that he was basically alone.

He'd been out fighting in the D77H-TCIs now for five straight days, and he knew he'd have to return to base within the next two to rearm and refuel. But even if the aircraft didn't need the downtime, Hawk knew that _he_ certainly did. He was tired, hungry, dirty, sweaty, and, though he didn't show it---would never let anyone see it---he was scared, too. Scared for his family, for his species, and for himself.

"Sir!"

"What is it, Lieutenant?" Willis asked, suddenly coming back to the present. _'Least I've still got Alex_, he thought to himself. The two had been paired up since the start of the prototype project, and in that time they'd become good friends when off-duty. Drake had a quiet ease and a positive outlook on pretty much anything that occurred, and both of these attributes added up to a personality that meshed well with Hawk's own.

"Banshee, twelve o'clock!" the young officer cried.

Cursing at his momentary lapse, Lieutenant Hawk opened up with the ship-mounted AIM-486H heavy machine gun. Pushing the controls of the Pelican to force the nose down, Hawk dipped the dropship underneath the Banshee's line of fire once he'd finished a few seconds' worth of strafing. Luckily, his last burst tore through the alien craft, sending it racing down to the ground with its dead pilot still inside.

"See that, Drake?" Willis grinned. "One down, four to go."

"Won't be seeing that bastard anymore, sir," the second lieutenant answered, grinning inside his helmet.

"'Cept maybe in hell," Hawk quipped. "So where'd his buddies go?"

"Banking for another pass, El-Tee! Banshees Two and Three attacking the ground forces, Banshee One coming at us from the port side, and Banshee Five's on our starboard!"

"Huh. They're double-teaming us now? Guess they must think we're pretty good at this flying thing."

Lieutenant Drake chuckled, and this time when he spoke, his voice was much calmer. "Wonder what gave them that idea, sir."

_That's it_, Hawk thought to himself. _Get the kid to laugh a bit, loosen him up. This way he might not realize how fucked we are. Four Banshees against one Pelican? Those are some terrible odds._

Dammit. Willis caught his eyes wandering to that spot on the cockpit for the millionth time, the one where the picture of his family was plastered. As he went through an incredible amount of difficult maneuvering at high speeds, Hawk wondered briefly if he'd ever see his wife and son again. _Shit, Cooper. This is what you must've felt like during the battle in Cote D'Azur. Hell, what am I thinking? You told me yourself: _I know_ this is what you went through. _Lieutenant Hawk remembered the intimate conversation he'd had with Natalie, when she'd finally explained to him what had happened on Sigma Octanus IV. It had definitely been a long and emotionally draining talk, for both of them. But in the end, Hawk reflected, the discussion had also had the positive effect of being one more thing that brought them closer together.

"Drake, you'd better launch the missiles fast! Those two Banshees aren't gonna vaporize themselves!" the first lieutenant suddenly ordered.

"Yes, sir! Firing missiles at Banshees One and Five!"

There it was: the familiar shudder as the dropship released its heavy weapons. Lieutenant Hawk had focused his Pelican on the Banshee coming from the right first, and that's where the initial salvo of missiles was targeted. When Willis saw the flash of smoke and purple metal parts disperse as he flew past, he knew he and his co-pilot had gotten lucky. It was a direct hit.

_Well, at least the odds are starting to tip in our favor now_, Willis thought.

"Great shooting, Lieutenant," Hawk commented, banking his dropship for a pass at Banshee One.

"Thank you, sir," Drake answered.

_But we still have to get the other Covie pilot. And there's also those two bastards shredding the Marines on the ground._

Coming out of his turn, Hawk was stunned to find that Banshee One had suddenly appeared behind him. _Fuck! How did I let that happen? _the lieutenant thought in a panic.

But the answer was all too obvious: he hadn't slept in close to one hundred twenty hours, and by now, he was working exclusively on stims. As great a pilot as he was, Willis was not a machine; he was human with human limitations, and it seemed that he'd finally reached them.

Lieutenant Hawk wasn't exactly sure what happened next, or even how it happened. All he knew was that one second he was attempting to make a run for Banshee One, and the next he was grabbing his flight stick with white knuckles as his craft spiraled out of control.

"Sir, we've been hit!" Second Lieutenant Drake shouted, fear lacing his words.

"I know," Willis managed to say, his own voice sounding oddly robotic. _Maybe I'm a machine after all_, the lieutenant mused. _Except for the fact that I'm going to die if I don't get this thing back under control, of course._

To his credit, Lieutenant Hawk did everything within his power to keep his D77H-TCI Pelican, the same ship he'd trained with for months, from precipitating. But it seemed that anything he did to correct the problem simply wasn't enough to keep it in the air. A few seconds prior to the crash, he remembered thinking about all the times he'd simulated this very same scenario and made it out alive. For some reason he couldn't fathom, however, he knew today was going to end in a very different way.

Unfortunately for Hawk and his young co-pilot, sims just weren't reality. The last thing Willis saw were the dark treetops his dropship was hurtling toward.

And after that, his entire world went black.


	13. Chapter 12: No One Left Behind

**Chapter Twelve: No One Left Behind**

**Undetermined Shipboard Time, September 25, 2552. Onboard UNSC Transport Ship _Lithium_, In Sol System Approaching Earth. "The First Mission," Planet Earth. ****Day Forty-Six of the Invasion of Earth**

With all the Covenant and UNSC battleships duking it out outside Earth's atmosphere, getting to the surface proved to be a treacherous task. Those few hours our transport ship was in the middle of the heated Naval battle, I was reminded of why I'd chosen to join the Marine Corps. Call me crazy, but being locked up in a massive metal case and waiting for death to come just didn't sound very appealing. I was much more comfortable with my boots on firm soil than out in space; at least on the ground, I knew exactly how to manipulate situations in order to gain the upper hand---no matter the mess I happened to find myself in.

Here on a ship, however, I felt nothing but vulnerable and helpless. If the Covies decided to launch some gigantic plasma round that tore our transport ship in half, how the hell was I supposed to defend myself from it? As I made preparations for my company's arrival on Earth, I tried to my best to keep these morbid thoughts at bay.

Once I'd managed to push them to the back of my mind, I thought almost instantly of my older brother. Mark was out here somewhere, fighting Covenant ships in his UNSC Destroyer _Wrathful Tempest_. He had left the day after he'd showed up unexpectedly on Europa Base, but his next assignment had been scrubbed when the invasion of Earth happened. Mark had been sent here immediately to help in the defense, and he'd probably been in combat ever since.

Thankfully, my brother hadn't been on the casualty lists back on Sigma Octanus IV, but there was no real way for me to be sure he was alive; I could only hope he was ok. As for my younger siblings Travis and Allison…well, I hadn't heard from them since I'd received their messages on Heath. Knowing the importance of Earth, however, I guessed that there was a good chance they were somewhere in-system as well.

"Natalie? Do I have to give you a thwack in the back of the head to get you to listen?"

Finally emerging from my thoughts, I looked up from the equipment strewn around the small storage room and found Dean standing in front of me. Grinning with arms folded across his chest, Lieutenant Lewis waited patiently for me to acknowledge him.

Rising from my crouched position, I sighed and ran a hand over my auburn hair. I'd always kept it at a length that pushed regulation without actually going over, but I was almost positive that it had gotten longer than it should in recent weeks. Now that we'd be on the surface and in combat soon, though, I doubted my superiors would care so much.

"Sorry, buddy. Spaced out there for a sec. What were you saying?" I asked my friend.

Lewis leaned back against the wall and looked at me before answering. "I was wondering aloud about what's going on in that head of yours, Cooper. You seem rather preoccupied as of late."

"Just thinking is all, Dean." Suddenly thirsty, I grabbed a water bottle sitting on the shelf behind me, unscrewed the cap, and took a long gulp. The lieutenant chuckled at my statement as I drank.

"Yes, I deduced that much myself. I was hoping you'd get whatever it is off your chest, and thus out of your mind."

I snorted, then offered him a faint smile. "Dean, the only way to get all this outta my head is to kill me." I had another sip of water before elaborating. "I was thinking about a lot of things, Lewis. My brother, mostly, but the rest of my family, too. Plus the company, Earth, the uncertain fate of humanity…" The expression on my face suddenly morphed into a wide grin. "You know, the usual."

Lieutenant Lewis nodded sagely. "Ah, I see. It is only the usual," he said with a dramatic air. "Not a thing of importance, then. All are the trivial musings of a young woman, to be dismissed with ease."

I laughed. "Something like that."

My best friend gave me a look. "I do hope you realize that was sarcasm on my part."

"Yeah, I picked up on it, Dean. It's called playing along."

"Blast. I've just killed it, haven't I?"

"Pretty much." I took a third drink from the water bottle, looking at Dean from over the rim. With my thirst completely satisfied, I put the bottle back on the shelf. "So what really brings you down here, Lewis?"

The first lieutenant shrugged. "Grew bored up top. Came to find you since I noticed we're both off-duty, but you've obviously never heard the term before. If you're curious, Natalie, it means that you don't have to work your arse off for a while."

I hesitated, then decided to tell him the truth. "I _really_ don't like being on ships, Dean. And by that, I mean I have something resembling a phobia about it. So I've learned to keep myself busy, that way I don't have to think about the situation as much."

"In that case, you'll be excited to learn that we will be landing momentarily. Major Phillips would like us to join him at this time, and he says he is on Deck Three." When I shot Lewis a quizzical look, he showed me the new message on his datapad. "Well, then," he said. "I guess we won't be getting the time off after all. Pity."

Smirking at him, I echoed, "'Pity'? Hell, buddy, nothing's better than having your feet planted firmly in the dirt."

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A few hours later, our battalion had finally made it planetside and arrived at Foxtrot Base. The place was more of an outpost than a base, really, at least compared to huge Europa on Sigma Octanus IV. But I knew that one way or another, my company and I would be on the move soon anyway. We weren't going to have any extra time to spend on base, so why bother about its appearance?

Once the 102nd Battalion had been assigned to the barracks, Major Phillips dismissed us so we could get settled in. The major told us that for the next few days, we'd be posted on guard around Foxtrot Base to releave the Marines currently on duty; after that, Phillips announced, the battalion would probably be moved up to the front. And, seeing as Earth was in the middle of a planet-wide invasion at the moment, the front could be just about anywhere.

For Bravo Company and me, it was finally back to business as usual.

Entering my quarters, I dropped my UNSC-issued duffel bag on the ground and took a quick glance around the spartan room. It consisted solely of a bunk, a small desk, and a hard chair---which meant it looked exactly like the officers' quarters on any other base. Rank did have its privileges, though: at least the officers weren't assigned up to four people to a room, like the enlisted personnel.

Before I began to put all my gear away, I checked my watch to make sure it had changed itself to the local time here in Lienz. Satisfied that both the small clock in the room and my watch read 0917 hours, I had just started unpacking when my datapad buzzed. It was a message from Major Phillips, and he said he wanted to see me immediately.

Wondering what kind of trouble I could have possibly gotten myself into this early, I dropped my stuff on the bed and made my way down the hall to the battalion commander's office. After his aide let me through, I stood at attention in front of his desk and saluted.

"Sir! Captain Cooper reporting as ordered, sir."_ Damn, how the hell did he get squared away so fast?_ I thought as I waited for him to speak.

"At ease, Cooper," Phillips said as he leaned forward in his chair. He sighed, then looked up at me. "Looks like we already have a problem on our hands, Captain."

I gave him a confused look. "Sir?"

"Base has informed me that they had two pilots go missing early this morning, sometime before dawn. They were out on close-air support runs for the better part of a week, about fifteen klicks from town, and no one's heard from them for several hours. The pilots are presumed dead since they were probably shot down, but now that the commanders have some fresh faces, they want to send over a rescue team to check it out. And with your training in stealth, Cooper, I want you for the job."

"Yes, sir. What do you need me to do, sir?"

"Choose a squad from Bravo Company and take them on patrol through the forests; that was the last known location of the two pilots. Do some recon, try to stay off the Covenant's radar as much as possible, and make sure you bring back the pilots' dogtags." Major Phillips heaved a second sigh as he dropped his gaze to a pen on his desk. "Be prepared to find bodies, Captain."

"Yes, sir. I understand." _Poor bastards_, I thought to myself. _Wonder if Willis knew them._

The major sat shaking his head for a moment. "Seems like we're always losing people. Anyway, the area's supposed to be infested with enemy troops, including their own air support. If things end up getting too hot for your team, I want you to bug out as quickly and quietly as you can. Having another eleven Marines die for the sake of two isn't worth it." Phillips glanced up at me, but he didn't say anything until our eyes met. "Is all of that clear, Cooper?"

"Yes, sir. Be silent, be fast, and be smart, Major."

Major Phillips gave me a look. "Smart, Captain, but not a _smart-ass_." I saw the faintest hint of a grin play across his lips before he went on. "Now get the hell out of here, kid. Dismissed."

I had already saluted and completed a crisp about face when the major suddenly called to me again.

"Cooper, one last thing."

"Sir?"

"In the improbable event that you should find these pilots still alive and breathing, make sure you bring your medic along with you." He paused, then added, "Good luck finding those Marines, Captain."

"Semper fi, sir."

As I emerged from the battalion commander's office, I knew it wouldn't take me long to decide on a rescue team I trusted above all others. Pulling my datapad out of the pocket of my garrison uniform, I didn't waste any time sending messages to the members of first squad, first platoon and Doc Reynolds. It was about time we were all reunited for some Covie ass-kicking fun.

Over the next half-hour, I met with my assembled Marines, briefed them on the situation and what our new mission entailed, and headed for the armory to select weapons. While I normally opted to go for two guns, this time I picked up only a battle rifle and several clips of ammo. The mission wasn't supposed to take very long, anyway, and if things got tight, I always had my silenced pistol and combat knives.

With my team and I now dressed in gray battledress and loaded with the necessary equipment, we set off from Foxtrot Base in search of the missing pilots.


	14. Chapter 13: Ain't It Something to Know

Author's Note: Chapter title comes from the song "Put Back the Stars" by Blindside. As usual, hope you enjoy and please please leave reviews to tell me what you think. Always love getting feedback from readers and it means a lot, so please comment! Thanks! ;-)

**Chapter Thirteen: Ain't It Something to Know You're Lost**

**0917 Hours, September 25, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Lone Wolf," Planet Earth. Day Forty-Six of the Invasion of Earth**

Lieutenant Hawk finally came to several hours after the crash. Though he was groggy, disoriented, and in an incredible amount of pain, there was one thing his mind managed to register even before he opened his eyes. A liquid was dripping steadily onto his face, and he assumed it was probably water. But where the hell was it coming from?

He decided to find out. Willis opened his eyes so he could see, but instead he found himself instantly blinded by a droplet that fell into his left eye. Had he been capable of speech at the moment, the lieutenant would have unleashed a string of curses as his eye burned. Hawk lifted his left arm, the one that wasn't presently causing him excruciating pain, and rubbed his eye with his hand. The eye began to tear up after a few seconds, and Willis was thankful that the irritant was quickly flushed out. Using his left arm as a shield against further drops, Hawk glanced up again to see what was leaking above him.

What he saw made his stomach turn. The stuff that had been falling on his face for God knew how long was blood.

His co-pilot's blood, to be precise.

Like Willis, Second Lieutenant Alexander Drake was still strapped into his seat; because of the downed Pelican's angle, the young Marine's body was hanging limp above Lieutenant Hawk. Most of the blood caking Drake's face had dried by now, but some was still coming down from a hole in his neck; a sharp piece of dark gray metal protruded from the wound, making the blood droplets hit Hawk's face in precisely the same spot on his cheek each time. Except for that one wayward drop that fell into his eye earlier, of course.

Willis suddenly let out something akin to a moan. He wasn't really sure if it was because of what he saw, because of the intense pain that coursed through his body when he tried to move, or because of both.

The first lieutenant unbuckled his harness and, despite the painful protests from various parts of his body, managed to move out of the way of his friend's dripping blood. When he used his good arm to wipe his face, his hand came back wet and red.

_Ok, Hawk, think_, Willis told himself. _First check to make sure Alex is really…oh, no. Shit, I can't believe I'm even…_ He took a deep breath to collect himself, suddenly aware of the lump that had formed in his throat just now. _First check on Drake. Then grab supplies. Then figure out where the fuck you are, and how to get back to friendly forces. And whatever you do, don't think about the pain._

Lieutenant Hawk swallowed hard and gritted his teeth before attempting to get on his feet. His head was giving him forty kinds of hell at the moment, and he could see the deep cut that was making his right arm hurt so bad. It was only as he was getting himself into a crouched position that he noticed something important: both he and his co-pilot were missing their helmets.

_The Covenant must have come here to investigate already_, he thought. _Must've thought I was dead and left us here. I sure hope they didn't take all of our supplies with 'em, though, or I'm screwed._

The cockpit of the D77H-TCI Pelican wasn't large enough for Willis to stand to his full height, but he was able to reach up to Drake from his crouch nonetheless. Pressing two bloody fingers against his friend's neck, Hawk prayed for a pulse, however faint.

Nothing. Two minutes passed, and Willis didn't feel a damn thing.

"Fuck," he muttered. He sat back against the…what was it? The bulkhead? The ceiling? Lieutenant Hawk wasn't sure anymore, but he sat back against whatever it was and ran a hand over his light brown hair. He'd shaved his head a few days ago, just before he'd left on the close-air support runs, and so his short hair felt fuzzy beneath his fingertips. But now he realized that he also felt something else.

Touching that ambiguous spot on the side of his forehead again, Willis could feel a large gash there. The wound wasn't bleeding anymore, or at least he didn't think so; his hands were still wet with Drake's blood, so it was hard to tell. Either way, the blow to his head certainly explained why he was slightly dizzy.

Hawk let out a long sigh. _Time to get out of here_, he thought. He couldn't stand being in such tight quarters with his dead co-pilot hanging above him. It was kind of creepy and unnerving.

He rose a second time in a half-crouch, reaching up to Lieutenant Drake's neck to grab his dogtags. _Poor kid. He'd still be alive if it weren't for me. Me and my stupid, tired brain wandering almost got us both killed._ The lump in his throat grew heavier once he put his friend's dogtags around his own neck. _I'm so sorry, buddy. I tried, but I still ended up failing you. _

Trying to push that painful realization out of his head, the first lieutenant was exiting the Pelican when he realized that he'd almost forgotten something important: his picture. Hawk was glad to find it still in one piece on the cockpit, although it now had a reddish hue; whether it was from his blood or Drake's, Willis couldn't be sure. With no helmet to use as storage, the lieutenant decided to stuff the family photo in the breast pocket of his uniform. _That should do it_, he concluded. _Hope Natalie and Gabe bring me good luck so I don't get shot in the chest_.

Finally emerging from the cockpit, Lieutenant Hawk took a deep breath of fresh air to settle his racing mind. Before he began his march toward friendlies, however, Willis knew he had to scrounge for weapons---anything would be better than trying to sneak up on Covies and fight them with his bare hands. He was no Spartan, after all, and savage tactics like that were bound to end with his untimely death.

Stepping carefully so as not to attract unwanted attention, Hawk walked over to the back of the Pelican and crawled into the small troop bay. The first lieutenant was surprised to find that much of the equipment he and his co-pilot had been packing was still there. _So those Covenant sons a bitches aren't that smart, huh? Too damn arrogant to ever use human stuff, even though some of it_'_s better than what they've got._ Willis shrugged to himself. _Works for me._

He grabbed a pack still tied down to one of bulkheads and filled it with a first aid kit, a canteen, and some energy bars. The selection of weapons was limited, but Lieutenant Hawk found a submachine gun that suited his needs. After picking up a few clips of ammo and the single frag grenade he could find, Willis stood with the pack on his back.

His was feeling very light-headed with the extra weight, and his body was screaming in pain all over. But the lieutenant used his training to push everything out of his mind as he loaded his SMG with a fresh clip. He'd made the mistake of letting his physical state of exhaustion take over before, and it had ended with the death of his friend. Willis wasn't going to make that mistake again.

Lieutenant Hawk took a couple of stims from the medkit, washing them down with a swig from his new canteen. Taking one last look at what was left of his bird, Willis shook his throbbing head as he began his lonely march. 

_I shouldn't have too far to go to find some Marines_, Hawk thought to himself. _Or at least I hope not. 'Cause if this ends up being a long hike, I'll probably pass out before I find anybody. _

Willis spat in the dirt as he walked. _Fucking Covenant. As soon as I see one, I'm gonna shred it's ugly-as-shit face with lead._


	15. Chapter 14: King of the Hill

Author's Note: Sorry about the late-ish update, everybody. Lots of stuff going on this past week. ;-) Well, as usual, I hope you like the chapter and it would be really awesome if you reviewed. Reviews are the best! Thanks.

**Chapter Fourteen: King of the Hill**

**1015 Hours, September 25, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Obstacle in the Road," Planet Earth. ****Day Forty-Six of the Invasion of Earth**

Strange that in a life characterized by change a lot of the time, you could still find some circumstances that remained the same. Marching through a town with guns at the ready and waiting for Covenant to pop up around every corner? Damn, almost felt like being home on Mars I was so used to it. I'd been training for and dealing with these types of situations ever since I was eighteen years old, and now, seven long years later, combat patrols were entirely second nature to me. 

And yet, there were still those jolts of white-hot fear when you heard an awkward sound followed by a flood of enemy projectiles in the air.

First squad and I had already run into two Covenant foot patrols since our departure from Foxtrot Base in Lienz. As soon as we'd left the small town behind, the roads, fields, and wooded areas had been crawling with aliens. So far, I'd managed to guide my patrol team around the Covies and avoid skirmishes, but there was no getting around the enemy group presently in front of us. They were blocking a narrow, gravelly road that was the only route to where we needed to go in order to find our missing pilots, and that meant they had to be eliminated.

Hence all the plasma, needles, and ordnance coming towards us at the moment.

"Marines! Find cover and open fire!" I ordered into the COM channel, ducking below Brute spiker rounds and plasma pistol shots as I ran in a half-crouch. With enemy weapons tracking my movements and trying to reduce my legs to bloody stumps along the way, I heaved a sigh of relief when I'd made it to the cover of a low stone wall. _Would you look at that_, I thought to myself as the cacophony of battle grew louder around me. _I've still got both my legs, too._

"It's a roadblock, Captain!" Corporal Trevor Dandh, crouched behind a small mountain home on the other side of the street, yelled over the radio. "Troops coming outta everywhere!"

"Just keep a steady rate of fire, Corporal. We'll push 'em back," I answered, wondering as usual how I was able to keep my voice cool at times like these; inside my chest, my heart was beating a million times a minute.

Holding my battle rifle to bear as I rose slightly above my cover, I let loose four three-round bursts at the Brute that was harassing me. It was too soon for me to have forgotten what its cousin had done to me in Cote D'Azur, and this was my first opportunity for revenge. I wasn't about to pass up the chance to let the Covie know how much I hadn't appreciated being thrown against a pole.

The huge alien beast didn't stop his advance just because it had bits of thick hide bursting from its torso, though. Purple blood began to trickle down his chest, and still the Brute held its twin spikers on me as if nothing were happening. But it wasn't _firing_ those weapons, at least for the moment. _So my bullets _are_ good for something_, I thought with a smirk.

Encouraged by the scene before me, I took careful aim at the Brute's head and pulled the trigger of my battle rifle twice. Six rounds cut through the alien's forehead, just under the helmet covering its skull; the beast staggered backwards as more of its blood spurted from the new wound. 

"Take that, you fucking piece of shit," I muttered, satisfied with the results I'd attained with my gun. But the tough Covenant warrior still wasn't dead yet, and I knew it; I quickly pulled one of my three frag grenades from my web belt to remedy the problem. Wary of the fire of the other Covies, I primed the explosive from behind my cover, then came back out and tossed it at the critically injured Brute.

In its last moments of life, the creature roared in anger as he tried to lift his weapons in my direction one last time. I got the odd feeling that it probably didn't want to die here, disgraced and defeated at the hands of a human, but I had no sympathy for the bastard. After everything the Covenant had done to my family, my friends, my Marines, and even me, I absolutely could not forgive _any_ of the aliens. Ever.

So it was a good thing I'd never have to. 

_Go to hell where you belong, you stupid Brute_, I thought as I watched my frag sail through the air toward the beast. 

The explosive blew into thousands of hot metal shards in midair, right near the Brute's face. The frag grenade ripped and stabbed and bloodied the alien's flesh before he finally died, and that was the same time I felt an immense sense of triumph. True, I'd only gotten rid of one lousy Covie, and there were still plenty to go around, what with the invasion and all. Yet even knowing that fact, my first kill in several months---months I'd spent trying to get over the mental strain of the fight on Sigma Octanus IV---felt really good. I was finally back in the fray. 

Like most sane people, being in combat wasn't really where I wanted to be. It was, however, the place I was most familiar with, and the place where I could help humanity by obliterating every Covenant bastard unfortunate enough to cross my path. I knew it was here on the frontlines, more than anywhere else, that could I do my part to assure a future for my son, for my husband and I, and for the whole human race. 

A second explosion reverberated through the tiny street, and the sound of shattering glass pulled me back into the present. "First squad, stay clear of those windows!" I shouted into the COM channel. "Dandh!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Take your fire team and maneuver them around the side of that house you're using as cover. Simmons?"

"Right here, Captain," the other corporal replied. I stole a quick glance to my left and found her standing beside me, firing off long bursts from her MA5C assault rifle.

"I want suppressive fire on those Brutes, Jackals, and Grunts. Let's keep these bastards busy, Corporal."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Continuing to unleash devastating bursts on the Covies with my BR55, I managed to eliminate three Grunts while I issued my orders. The little aliens crumpled to the ground in quick succession, two from headshots and one from taking a burst in the abdomen. Multicolored blood decorated the rocky street and began to mix with the runoff on the side of road; as my fire team and I advanced uphill, our boots splashed through the swirling liquid. 

Needles flew all around me as I moved up, and it was difficult to concentrate on firing my own rifle while I was busy running and dodging. But somehow, my fire team and I were able to get to the next stone wall beside another small house. I was about to breath a second sigh of relief when two plasma cannons at the crest of the hill opened up on us.

"We're gonna get diced down here!" Private Foster screamed into the COM channel. 

"Captain! They've set up shields at the top of the hill!" Corporal Dandh's voice announced an instant later.

"Son of a _bitch_," I spat, reloading my rifle as I listened to the COM traffic. "Dandh, are you out of their line of sight?"

"Affirmative, ma'am."

"Good, make sure it stays that way. Keep going up the hill and see if you can find a way to flank the Covies behind the shields. They've gotta creep out sometime, and even if they don't, the shields won't hold forever. Notify me when you're in position, but you're free to engage."

"Understood, Captain."

As soon as the radio connection cut, I turned to face Corporal Simmons, who remained at my side even after moving forward. She was crouching low behind the wall, gripping her rifle tight as she tried to avoid the Covenant equivalent to two machine guns.

"Simmons, tell the fire team to stay low and wait for Dandh to secure the hill. If anyone finds a break in a wall or some other safe spot, tell them to get prone and fire at the shields. Even if we can't do much, we can at least wear down their cover."

"Yes, ma'am," the corporal responded. 

_Dammit, now what?_ I thought in frustration. I racked my brain to come up with something that would get us past the Covenant without getting killed in the process. Situations were always complicated when the enemy had the higher ground, but fortified with shields and plasma cannons, too? This was going to be a hard one to figure out, and we didn't have much time. 

Despite many ill-fated attempts of the maneuver in past campaigns, I went prone and crawled over rough gravel to the side of the wall. Hanging onto my battle rifle cautiously with both hands, I used the scope to get a visual on the top of the hill. Though first squad and I had taken out quite a few aliens on our way up the hundred-meter stretch of road, there were still about a half dozen Covies on the hill. Two were Grunts manning the plasma cannons, while the other four were Brutes; the larger aliens were hiding behind their shields like the cowards they were. _Wait'll Dandh gets a good shot at you, you smug bastards. Enjoy the view, 'cause it'll be the very last thing you see._

Boiling plasma rounds suddenly began to vaporize the air around me; I'd exposed myself for too long. Now that I had a better idea of what we were up against, I ducked back behind my cover as both plasma cannons targeted Simmons and I. 

"Dandh, if you and your fire team aren't shooting in exactly one minute, we'll be fucking dead! Do you understand me, Corporal?" I yelled angrily into the COM channel. My heads up display told me four minutes had passed since the start of the skirmish, and I was sick and tired of getting shot at without being able to return fire. To make matters worse, I'd just started to notice that whole stones were coming apart from the wall, creating potentially deadly pockets of air where protection used to be. If Corporal Dandh crapped out like he had my first day in the Reatan Desert on Heath, we'd all be bleeding corpses in thirty seconds.

But, I reminded myself, Trevor Dandh had long ceased to be that haughty yet frightened individual. 

"We're in position now, Captain. Let's give 'em hell, Marines!" the corporal cried, and moments later I heard rifles, submachine guns, and even a shotgun open fire. 

Caught unawares by the hidden flanking force, it took the four Brutes---as well as the Grunts on the plasma cannons---precious milliseconds to recognize the threat. The two Grunts were the first to go, and that finally freed up my fire team to join in the fight again.

"Move it up, first squad, now!" I cried, rising from the wall and sprinting up the narrow road. When a couple of the Brutes noticed me and launched Brute shot rounds around me, however, I quickly dove behind cover once again. "Be careful and watch the Brutes as you move," I ordered the rest of the team. "They haven't forgotten about us just yet."

With bullets coming at them from two directions, the aliens left at the top grew more aggressive than before. After one of the remaining four Brutes was killed and fell in a pool of its own blood, its comrade immediately came charging down the hill. 

"Take him out!" I shouted, standing to my full height as I repeatedly pulled the trigger of my weapon. The Brute's armor came off in pieces after each three-round burst, and with a full clip in my battle rifle, it didn't take long to bring the beast crashing to the rocky ground. Adrenalin diminishing its flow into my system, I didn't really start panicking until I had a sudden realization: the Covie's huge body was beginning to tumble rapidly down the street. Only a few yards had separated us by the time I killed him, and I wasn't going to have time to run out of the way.

Unsure of how to get myself out of this one, I went flat on my stomach behind my small cover---a slab of rock blown off from one of the houses. Fortunately for me, the boulder ended up creating a sort of low ramp as the Brute's body rolled past; the dead creature had just enough air and momentum to send it flying half a foot above me, but that was enough. I happily escaped alive and uncrushed. 

"Status!" I barked over the COM, rising to a crouch and dusting off my uniform. On the outside, in front of my Marines, I pretended the close call hadn't fazed me at all. But on the inside, I was actually quite alarmed by the brief episode.

"Enemy neutralized, Captain," Corporal Dandh reported. Standing at the crest of the hill, Dandh looked out on the other side. "Road's clear for at least a kilometer, ma'am. Then we hit forest, and it's too thick to see through."

"Acknowledged," I said, motioning my fire team to move up the last few meters with me. "Reynolds? What about you?"

"Two wounded, ma'am, Gardner and Jiminez. But they're both minor and can continue the mission, Captain."

"Thanks for the good news, Petty Officer." I cut the COM connection now that I'd reached the top of the gravel road, and turned to face first squad. After making sure there weren't any Covenant lurking nearby, I had them form up around me and kneel as I explained what we'd do next. 

"Ok, here's where we are now, and here's where we need to go," I said, pointing to the locations on the map on my datapad. "We still have about seven klicks until we're within the designated objective area, so we need to get moving right away. Bear in mind that the next few klicks will be in the forest, so keep your eyes and ears sharp; it won't be as easy as spotting Covies across open terrain." I looked up from my datapad then and glanced around at the ten Marines in front of me. "Questions?"

The polarized faceplates didn't so much as twitch, and no one spoke.

"Excellent. Let's get cracking, then. Can the chatter, use the COM for legitimate purposes only, and watch where you plant your boots. Maintain noise discipline and we'll make it out of here without skirmishes, just like we did before we hit the roadblock."

Green acknowledgement lights winked on my heads up display, so I turned around and began the march. 

My patrol team and I had already walked down the opposite side of the hill and entered the forest when I had a sudden thought. _Why do I feel like something…_different_ is going to happen in here?_ I wondered. My instincts during combat had served me well in the past, and I was starting to get a bit nervous about what we'd find. There was nothing I could do about it for now, though, so I just placed my finger inside the trigger guard of my battle rifle and checked my HUD's sensors. All clear.

We had only gone about ten more meters when I heard it.

I immediately crouched and held my hand up in a fist, signaling the others to halt. _Is this it?_ I thought to myself as I crept forward, alone. _Is this that weird vibe I got after we came into the trees? _Heart pounding in my ears while I pressed onward, I almost missed the second rustle of brush.

A spike of adrenalin went through my body this time, but I was able to identify exactly where the sound had come from: a mess of vegetation just five meters from my position. My HUD, on the other hand, still said there was nothing; that was beyond strange, but I was glad to find that at least there weren't Covies nearby. 

I took a deep breath. _All right, Cooper_, I thought as I went into a half-crouch toward the noise. _Here goes_. 

Gripping my BR55 battle rifle tight in my hands and holding it to bear, I suddenly stood facing the brush in question. "All right, you mysterious son of a bitch. Show yourself right now or I'll shoot."


	16. Chapter 15: From Predator to Prey

Author's Note: Here's the next chappie. Hope you enjoy, and please leave feedback. I'd like to know what you think, good or bad. ;-)

**

* * *

Chapter Fifteen: From Predator to Prey**

**1015 Hours, September 25, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Grounded Bird," Planet Earth. ****Day Forty-Six of the Invasion of Earth**

The going had been slow after the crash. Even with the stims, Lieutenant Hawk was having a hard time keeping his eyelids open, and every step seemed ten times heavier than the last. Add that to the sharp pain coming from his wounded arm and head injury, and it suddenly became a terribly difficult task to evade Covenant troops.

Willis had already come across three separate groups of aliens during his march toward Lienz. He'd studied countless maps of the surrounding area before he'd departed from Denmark, so he knew there was a UNSC outpost somewhere in the small town. The young officer was confident that he could find the place without getting lost.

With all the Covies around, though, Hawk had been forced at times to take less direct routes to Foxtrot Base. This wouldn't have been a problem under normal circumstances, but with the large gash on his forehead, Hawk was prone to moments of dizziness and confusion. He couldn't be completely sure that he was even going the right way anymore, yet he resolved to forge ahead nonetheless. Any alternative was better than holing up in some spot no one else could find. Far from being advantageous, Willis knew the action was really just a good way to get himself killed.

Presently, Lieutenant Hawk was creeping through a tall meadow, trying to keep a low profile as he snuck past a mixed dozen of Brutes, Grunts, Jackals, and Drones. Willis had already been involved in one hairy skirmish this morning, and he'd barely managed to disengage and slip away. He wasn't exactly itching for a repeat. _If I could just get past without those Drones detecting me, I'd have a shot at getting outta here fast, _the lieutenant thought to himself. _It shouldn't be much longer to Lienz if I've been going the right way. Several klicks, probably._

Hawk shrugged off his battledress jacket as the midmorning sun beat down on him from above; the increasing temperatures weren't helping his wounded head to focus, and he had other places to store his extra supplies anyway. Much as he didn't want to leave a trail for himself, Willis decided it was better to drop the article of clothing here where it was camouflaged rather than lug it around.

Lifting up the bottom of his T-shirt to wipe the sweat from his bloodied face, Lieutenant Hawk paused to take a small drink from his canteen. He kept his eyes trained on the Covenant patrol the entire time, silently observing as his ears perked up at any odd noise. Ever since he'd left his broken helmet at the crash site, Lieutenant Hawk had realized just how much he'd come to rely on his electronics and sensors. Now that he had only his own human senses to work with, he felt that he was finally getting back to basics.

But while that may have been good thing from a training standpoint, it actually left Hawk more vulnerable to attack out in the field.

Once he had satisfied his thirst, the first lieutenant screwed the cap back onto his canteen and hooked it onto his web belt. He decided it was time to get moving again, before those Covies figured out where he was hiding. Hefting his submachine gun once more, Willis began moving cautiously through the tall grass at a half-crouch; any slight variation in the breeze could alert the Covenant above to his position, so he had to make sure he was walking carefully.

Lieutenant Hawk kept his eyes focused on the ground before him, trying to avoid stepping on anything that might make a peculiar sound beneath his combat boots. Occasionally, he'd also glance up at the enemy troops congregated before the meadow, just to be aware of where they stood in case things went very wrong very fast. Knowing his luck, Willis had this nagging feeling that something was about to happen--and it probably wasn't a _good_ something.

He peered into the grass in front of him and attempted to decipher what lay beyond. Unfortunately, he couldn't see more than a few yards in any direction from the inside, and that meant that there was no way of knowing how much larger the meadow was. He'd simply have to keep going and hope that he reached the end soon.

The lieutenant had just returned his attention back to his march when a single shot rang out through the field.

It sounded an awful lot like a pulse of controlled plasma from a Covenant particle beam rifle.

_Shit!_ Willis thought as he threw himself onto the ground. Not wanting to stick around to find out where the round had come from, Hawk immediately began crawling through the dirt instead. He wasn't sure if it was a stray shot or what, but he figured that he'd rather err on the side of caution and be mistaken than lie in wait and get killed.

His instincts served him well. A second round pierced the air not a moment later, and this time it hit the grass right where Willis had been seconds earlier. Turning around just long enough to see the blades of grass catch fire, Lieutenant Hawk started to crawl faster through the meadow. _Are those bastards trying to smoke me out?_ he wondered as he felt his pulse quicken. _I guess it doesn't really matter: if I stay here, I'll either get sniped or burn to death. Time to high-tail it outta here!_

Hawk had to bite his lower lip hard to keep from groaning as he continued crawling; the rapid movements were causing his injured right arm to give him twenty kinds of hell. Still, he cradled his weapon in his arms and forced himself to go forward. Several more sniper rounds rang out behind him, and when he paused to look up, he saw that the Drones were beginning to circle the area above him as well.

They were going to find him, he was sure of it.

If he got up to sprint out of the grass now, he knew he was a dead man. Willis had seen the meadow from above when he'd been coming down the hill a half hour earlier, so he deduced that he probably had another few meters or so until he reached the wooded area beyond. The lieutenant chose to keep on crawling until he made it there.

Sniper shots were still echoing around Lieutenant Hawk when the Drones discovered his position. Hawk cursed as needles and plasma fire rained down on him from the airborne aliens; maybe if he'd just sucked up the heat and kept his jacket on, he would have blended in with the terrain a little better. But apparently his rock gray T-shirt stood out in the deep green of the meadow, because now he had a real fight on his hands.

Twisting and turning as he slithered fast in the dirt, Willis became acutely aware of the fact that he was both without armor and without a helmet. Any enemy round that hit him would only have to go through a thin layer of clothing before it tore into his skin.

Plasma rounds puffed up the dirt around him, and Hawk started choking on the dust entering his mouth, nose, and lungs. He shut his eyes to avoid trapping any debris inside them, and he crawled blindly through enemy fire and tall vegetation. _Come on, Hawk! Move it, or you're screwed!_ he told himself.

He felt a sudden prickle in his skin as several needles grazed his shoulder, then another jolt as boiling plasma got too close; he struggled to keep from crying out in pain, which would only serve to pinpoint his location. Lieutenant Hawk knew he was cooked, both literally and figuratively, and he also knew one well-placed shot on the part of the Covenant was all it would take to end his life.

That's when he finally noticed that the fire from above had decreased, and the snipers weren't even targeting him anymore.

Willis finally opened his eyes, and he found himself lying prone in carpet of short green grass surrounded by a mass of vegetation. As he rose carefully to a crouched position, Hawk realized with more than a little glee that the brush was camouflaging him from the Covies. _That was the closest call I've ever had in my life_, Willis thought as he let out a sigh of relief. He was safe, at least for the moment; he'd have to keep moving further into the forest if he had any chance of losing the aliens trailing him.

Lieutenant Hawk stood to his full height this time, making sure that the flora and fauna around him kept him invisible to enemy eyes. Satisfied that he wasn't being targeted for now, the lieutenant blocked the pain out of his mind and pushed forward. The Covenant weren't going to give up just because he'd disappeared; they knew he was in here somewhere, and the whole patrol would go out looking for him. Willis would have to be quick about getting deeper into the forest.

He'd only gone several meters into the wooded area when he got a…funny feeling about what lay ahead. Seeing a large mess of vegetation before him, Willis moved slowly and quietly towards it, ducking behind the plants when he reached them. Much to his surprise, the faint sounds he suddenly heard were coming from in front of the brush, not behind. Had the Covenant surrounded him? Lieutenant Hawk didn't know what to think; he simply gripped his submachine gun with white knuckles and waited.

The faint sound grew slightly louder, and it was then that Willis recognized the noise as feet crunching in the grass. Something was approaching his concealed spot.

He was about to jump out of the brush with a long burst of submachine gun fire when he heard a voice.

"All right, you mysterious son of a bitch. Show yourself right now or I'll shoot."

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Hawk realized that it could be a clever trick on the part of the Covies. But Willis knew that voice anywhere, and he was very familiar with all of its possible variations. Still, out here in enemy territory, the soldier in him overrode the feelings and emotions he associated with the voice. He revealed himself with slow, deliberate steps, and he kept his weapon to bear the entire time.

Emerging from the vegetation, Willis saw an armored Marine with a battle rifle leveled at his chest. The figure was clad in gray battledress, standing a few yards away and ready to fire the rifle in its hands. Despite the fact that Hawk's throat was suddenly dry, he managed to speak while keeping his gun aimed at the Marine.

"Natalie?" he croaked. "Is that really you?"


	17. Chapter 16: A New Kind of Fight

Author's Note: Thanks a bunch for all the great reviews, and I hope you'll continue to like the story. Please don't forget to leave feedback, let's me know you're still reading and what you want out of the story. ;-) Hope you enjoy this next installment and peace!

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Chapter Sixteen: A New Kind of Fight**

**1028 Hours, September 25, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Odd Reunion," Planet Earth. ****Day Forty-Six of the Invasion of Earth**

I lowered my weapon the moment he said my name, and he instantly did the same.

Too shocked to say anything for several seconds, I raised my faceplate and looked him over. The man standing a few feet in front of me was clearly a Marine, as he was wearing a UNSC uniform--or at least parts of one, since his jacket, armor plates, and helmet were missing. His golden brown hair was also much shorter than when I'd seen it last; I could tell he'd shaved his head recently, though his hair had grown out slightly. My husband was now sporting a stubble as well, indicating that he'd probably been out on the lines for a while. Most alarming, however, was the fact that he had blood all over his face from a gash on his forehead, and I could see him sway a bit as he stood.

"Oh, my God," I said when I'd regained speech. "Will?"

He gave me a weak smile. "Yeah, baby, it's me."

"Jesus, what the hell happened? Are you ok?" I asked, concern flooding my voice as I spoke. Slinging my rifle across my back as I approached him, I watched Willis slowly nod his head at my last question.

"Let's just say I've had one helluva morning, Cooper. I realize I probably look much worse than what I really am, but don't worry. Not all of it is my blood." His haggard features suddenly brightened. "Damn, it's really great to see you, Natalie. Sad to admit, but this is the first good thing that's happened to me in a long time." Willis managed to flash one of his signature grins at me then, even despite his pain; I knew he was trying hard to keep it to himself, but the look in his hazel eyes gave him away. He was really hurting.

Grinning back at him, I attempted to cover up my true feelings--it was killing me on the inside to see him like this. Still, I realized that he was putting on a brave face for me, and so I didn't want my anxiety over his condition to show. "You know," I began rather casually, "I always did have this secret hope that I'd see you around sometime. But honestly, I didn't think it would actually happen."

We stood there for an awkward moment, close enough to greet each other properly with a hug and kiss, but neither in any condition to do so. Willis was caked in blood and dirt, and I was suited up with armor plates, helmet, and gear. But the impulse to close whatever distance was left between us was strong nonetheless.

"So you going to tell me what you're doing here?" my husband inquired, breaking the momentary silence.

"Well, if you mean here on Earth, it's a long story that I won't get into now. The brief version is that my battalion just got stationed in Lienz, and a squad of my Marines and I were sent out to find two pilots that went missing before dawn." I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Looks like we found one, so where's the other?"

Willis swallowed hard and shook his head. "He uh, he's dead, Coop."

"Was it Drake?" I asked quietly.

My husband looked away. "Yeah. I'll explain later."

I nodded, then took a deep breath. The next question I asked was going to be hard for both of us to contemplate. "Will, what about…" I had to pause for a moment to keep my voice level. "Where's Gabriel, Will? Is he ok?"

"Gabe's fine, Natalie. Your mom brought him with her to a secure underground ONI facility, and last I heard they were both doing well." He gave me an apologetic look. "Sorry we couldn't communicate. She said it was too risky to send a message to Sigma Octanus Four."

"It's all right. I understand," I said after I'd breathed a sigh of relief. My son and mother were ok, and Willis was standing before me--wounded, yes, but alive. Things seemed to be finally heading in the right direction.

Pulling my battle rifle back down into my hands, I stared at it and sighed. "Well, we should get going. We've completed our mission in finding you, and there's tons of Covies to sneak past from here to Foxtrot Base." I looked back up at him again before adding, "I'll have Doc check out your head wound real quick, but you'll have to hang in there until we can get you to the hospital on base. Think you can make the march?"

"Of course I can," Willis replied. Seeing that I wasn't convinced, he let out a heavy sigh and continued, "Seriously, you don't have to worry about me, Cooper. I can handle--"

He suddenly stopped midsentence and turned around, submachine gun at the ready. At the same time, I moved a few steps ahead of him and held my battle rifle to bear.

"Hear that?" I asked him, focusing my eyes in the direction of the sound.

Willis nodded. "I…sort of forgot to mention this, Coop--"

"I know," I said, cutting him off with a sideways glance. "You brought some friends along, didn't you?"

He offered me a sheepish grin. "What can I say? I guess I'm just a popular guy."

"First squad, this is Captain Cooper," I said, lowering my visor as I spoke into the COM channel I'd just opened. "Listen up, Marines. We've found one of our flyboys and accounted for the other. Advance to my position double time, but make sure you keep it silent and steady. There's confirmed enemy movement up ahead, so we don't want to give away our location. Is that clear?"

As acknowledgment lights flashed on my HUD, I raised my faceplate once more and turned back to Willis. "How many Covies came after you, Will?"

"About twelve, I think. It was a good-sized patrol." A buzzing sound suddenly filled the air, and Willis swung the barrel of his weapon up toward the sky. "Watch it, Coop: these should be the Drones coming in now."

"Got it." Keeping my battle rifle trained above me, I waited along with Willis for the Covenant to appear. _Come on, you bastards_, I thought, scanning the trees overhead. _Show yourselves so we can clip your little wings. _

As if on cue, the first few Drones came screeching through the forest not an instant later.

Crystal needles and plasma pistol rounds pierced the air, searching for flesh as they bounced and burned on the grass beneath our combat boots. As Willis and I fired our weapons back at the winged aliens, I quickly positioned myself in front of him; if any rounds got too close, I wanted to be the one to take the hit. My armor was strong enough to shield against needler rounds, and it could take a couple of undercharged plasma shots. My husband's T-shirt and battledress trousers, on the other hand, offered no protection at all when it came to enemy attacks.

The task was easier said than done. I had to maneuver in a subtle manner during the firefight to cover Willis without making it obvious, because I knew he'd be furious if he thought I was compromising my safety for his own. He never said anything, though, so I figured that I'd managed the feat.

With our combined fire, Drones began dropping out of the sky like flies. Two of the annoying Covies were already dead on the ground by the time I aimed my battle rifle at a third. I pulled the trigger of my BR55 three times, sending nine rounds in the Drone's direction, but the little bastard was faster than my weapon's rate of fire. It flew side-to-side with remarkable agility, evading the bursts from my rifle with room to spare as I cursed.

I shouldn't have wasted my breath. Thanks to the hail of bullets coming from Willis's submachine gun, the alien fell a second later in a splatter of greenish blood and crumpled wings.

"Nice one," I commented, spinning around as one of the Drones tried to land behind me unseen. The Covie jumped around a bit now that its plan had been foiled, as if daring me to pull the trigger. _Don't think I won't, you little SOB_, I thought to myself. _I can give you way more lead than you can imagine_. Smirking at its display of arrogance, I fired a few bursts at the Drone and watched as the rounds tore through its insect-like body. It let out a final pained screech, and then he was dead.

"You, too," Willis replied, glancing at my latest kill. He quickly returned his attention to the three Drones left, who were still circling above us, and fired short bursts at them. As I moved to do the same, I got the feeling that they were probably signaling our location to the rest of the patrol. They may have been nasty and ugly bugs, but they were damned clever ones.

"Let's finish 'em, Will. They're like a fucking neon sign, and we'll have the whole gang upon us if we don't take care of this now."

"Well, there goes one!" Willis cried, stepping back as a Drone's body flopped in front of him.

"Yeah, and here's number two," I counted, sending another enemy combatant to its grave.

"Lucky shot," Willis joked. He aimed his weapon at the last buzzing alien and pulled the trigger, but this time, all that emerged was a _click_ sound. "Oh, fuck me!" he exclaimed in frustration, ejecting the spent clip from his gun and digging hurriedly in his pockets for a fresh one.

"Don't worry, sir, I got 'im!" a voice suddenly called from behind.

Corporal Dandh came running up beside us, the rest of first squad in tow. "Hope we didn't miss the party, Captain," he said in my direction.

"Got here just in time for the grand finale, Dandh," I answered. "Take care of that last Covie, and then we need to get the hell out of here before the rest show up."

"Yes, ma'am," the corporal replied. After taking careful aim for a few seconds, Dandh brought down the Drone with a precise burst from his MA5B assault rifle. "There. That should do it, ma'am."

"Good work, Corporal. All right, first squad, form up on me! We have Covenant on our ass, and I'd like to avoid as many skirmishes as possible. Simmons, you and Dandh will cover our six, I'll take point." I turned to face Willis. "Lieutenant Hawk, you stick behind me. Let's move it out, Marines."

He gave me an amused look, some sort of cross between a grin and a smirk, but he followed without complaint. "Whatever you say, Captain."


	18. Chapter 17: Personal vs Professional 1

Author's Note: Next chappie's here a little early, for your reading pleasure. As always, hope you enjoy, please leave reviews so I know what you think, and peace!

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Chapter Seventeen: Separating the Personal From the Professional, Part One**

**1039 Hours, September 25, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Accidental Revelation," Planet Earth. Day Forty-Six of the Invasion of Earth**

Marching back toward Foxtrot Base and Lienz, our peculiar band of Marines had gone over a kilometer past the roadblock before I called for a halt. We'd been pursued by the Covenant patrol through most of the forest, but thankfully we hadn't actually run into them. It seemed that we had lost them once we'd emerged from the wooded area, and so I'd deemed it safe enough to allow the squad to take a breather.

Or at least, that's how I played it off.

All through the march, I could tell Willis was struggling to keep up. He remained directly behind me the entire time and didn't complain even once, but every so often I could hear him grunt in pain. Although I didn't want him finding out about the true nature of my decision for a halt, he was the first person I approached after ordering the stop.

Lifting my helmet's tinted visor so he could see my face, I crouched in front of where he sat with his back propped against a stone wall. Though he tried to be subtle about it, I noticed that he was holding a hand to one of his shoulders.

"Where else are you hit, honey?" I asked him, speaking in a low voice so that the others didn't overhear us.

Willis let his gaze fall on me, but it took him a while to focus. The large gash on the side of his forehead was really starting to get to him. "Huh? What'd you say?"

"Are you hurt anywhere else, besides your head?" I repeated.

"No. I told you already, Natalie, I'm fine. Let's just keep moving, all right?"

I gave him a stern look. "If you're not hit, then why are you holding your shoulder like that? Willis, you've never been very good at lying. Just answer my question honestly while I get Doc." Turning back to the rest of the squad, I spotted Petty Officer Second Class Reynolds, caught his attention, and used my hand to wave him over.

"What are you doing?" Willis hissed. "I said I'm ok!"

"I'm getting you help," I shot back. "You aren't doing anyone a favor by acting like a hard-ass, you know." I looked him in the eyes and made sure he was listening before I continued. "Do you want me to have to explain to our son that his father's dead 'cause he thought being tough was more important than being alive? Because I wouldn't be able to handle it, Will. I just couldn't."

My husband stared at me for a moment with a stunned expression on his face--I'd finally gotten through to him. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he murmured, "Christ, Natalie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--"

"What seems to be the problem, sir?" Doc Reynolds interrupted, kneeling beside Willis and I. At first the medic didn't seem to recognize Willis, but after a moment he looked from the lieutenant to me and back again. "Holy shit. You're the captain's husband, aren't you?"

"Yup, that's me," Willis confirmed.

Doc Reynolds raised an eyebrow at me. "Did you know he was one of the pilots we were sent to rescue, ma'am?"

I shook my head. "I had no idea until I saw him." _And if I did, knowing the horrible odds of survival Major Phillips gave them, I wouldn't have been in any condition to lead this patrol_, I added silently to myself.

"Listen, Doc, about that day at the diner…"

"Forget it ever happened, sir," Reynolds answered quickly as he began to tend to Willis's forehead. "Looks like you flyboys took quite a beating out there this morning, Lieutenant."

"Worse than you think. Shot my fucking Pelican right outta the sky." I saw Willis wince as the medic continued to treat his wound. "We…were on a close-air support run a few klicks from here when a group of Banshees attacked us. I tried to…I did everything I could, but we didn't really have a chance."

As the two men spoke, I reached for Willis's hand and gave it a small squeeze. Something awful had happened to him, beyond the crash and his co-pilot's death. The way he talked about the whole incident was enough make me certain of it, and much as I wanted to help him come to terms with whatever it was, I knew I'd have to wait to get the details from him later.

My mind snapped back to the present when Doc Reynolds suddenly glanced at me. "Ma'am? Do you have any water I can use to clean up the gash?"

"Oh, yeah. Sure." Letting go of Willis's hand, I pulled my canteen from my web belt and held it out for the petty officer. "Here you go, Reynolds."

"Thank you, Captain." The medic grabbed the canteen and started pouring its contents over the side of my husband's head. "Uh, all due respect, ma'am, but I can take it from here. Give me a minute, and I promise the El-Tee will be just fine."

I nodded, offering Willis a smile of encouragement as I stood. It was probably better that I didn't watch, anyway.

Walking over to where Corporal Dandh was standing to the rear of the formation, I used my rifle's scope to scan the area behind us. "Still no sign of Covenant," I muttered, thinking aloud.

"No, ma'am," Dandh replied. He looked out across the narrow mountain road and sighed. "I don't get it, Captain. They were right on our six back in the forest, and then they just disappear when we hit gravel? Something here isn't right, ma'am, I can feel it."

"You know what, Corporal? I think you might be on to something."

Taking out my field binoculars from one of my cargo pockets, I used them to get a better look around us. After checking out a complete three-hundred sixty degree view of the area--including the open field we were about to go through next--I found it interesting that there weren't any aliens nearby at all. _We must have missed something_, I thought to myself, frowning. _I _know_ we ran into Covies around here earlier, and they don't just happen to vanish._

"I don't see anything, though I do find that strange. Make sure you and Simmons keep an eye out for any sign of movement, Dandh. Especially our rear."

"Yes, ma'am." The corporal hesitated, then asked, "Uh, Captain?"

"Something else on your mind, Corporal?"

He nodded towards Doc Reynolds and Willis. "Just wondering how the pilot's doing, ma'am. Major Phillips said not to expect survivors, so I figure the lieutenant must be in pretty bad shape." Dandh shook his head. "At any rate, that wound on his face sure don't look good."

I swallowed hard. _Boy, do I know it_.

"Well, Doc Reynolds is patching him up as best he can, Dandh. Beyond that, we'll simply have to wait and see what happens." Despite what I was feeling on the inside, my voice revealed nothing as I spoke; I still wasn't sure what to do or how to act in regards to Willis and the rest of the squad. Hell, I didn't even know if I should tell my Marines that he was my husband or not. Eventually, though, I mentally shrugged and figured things would get sorted out once we returned to base. In the meantime, I simply decided it would be best if I didn't mention it. "You just focus on the Covenant for now, Corporal."

"Yes, ma'am," Corporal Dandh answered, turning around so his visor faced out to the road behind us.

As I waited for Doc Reynolds to finish up with Willis, I occupied myself with making sure first squad was maintaining a loose perimeter. Even with nine Marines on the lookout, however, I grew more and more nervous--not only about my husband, but the Covenant who were supposedly trailing us as well.

I looked around at our surroundings, which consisted of a few mountain homes on the edge of a clearing, and I thought to myself, _This is the perfect spot for an ambush. We need to start moving again soon, before the shit starts to fly._

Lowering my faceplate, I finally opened a private COM channel to the medic and said, "Talk to me, Doc. How's he doing?"

Petty Officer Reynolds began rattling off Willis's list of injuries without preamble. "Well, you'll be happy to learn that his head wound is actually not as bad as it looks, considering; the blow he received was enough to knock him out for a few hours after the crash, but everything's working the way it should. He also has a fairly deep cut on his right arm, which is causing him some pain and discomfort, and a few smaller cuts on his shoulder from needler rounds that grazed him. There's a minor burn on his lower back, too. Nothing to be worried about, ma'am, just looks like he got a little too close to a plasma round. You have to keep in mind that he went through a skirmish or two with no armor, so that's not really unusual.

"Anyway, I disinfected and bandaged up the arm, cleaned and stitched up the gash on his forehead, and gave him some painkillers. He'll be all right, Captain."

I breathed a long sigh of relief. "That's great news, Doc."

There was a momentary pause, and my heartbeat got just a tiny bit faster. "What is it, Reynolds?"

The petty officer sighed. "Truth be told, ma'am, I have no clue how he's managed to remain conscious till now. More than the wounds, his real problem is that he hasn't slept in over five days, and even the stims he took about a half hour ago are having a hard time keeping him awake."

_Poor Willis, _I thought. _Sounds like he really went through hell today, and there's still hours to go before midnight. _To Reynolds, I said, "Will he be able to make it to base?"

"Yes, ma'am, I believe so. But he's going to need some serious rack time once we get there. That'll help his wounds heal a lot faster, too."

"All right. Thanks for patching him up, Doc. I appreciate it."

"It's what I'm here for, Captain."

Now that I knew Willis was going to be ok, I focused my attention back to the rest of first squad. "Saddle up, Marines. The Covies are lurking around here somewhere, and we've still got a ways to go. Wouldn't want to miss out on chow at noon, now would we?"

"No, ma'am!" the squad chorused.

"Then get your asses in gear and follow me."

I'd walked back over to where Willis was sitting as I spoke, and presently I found myself standing before him. He slowly glanced up, looking much better with the blood and dirt finally washed off his face, and asked, "Time to go already, huh?"

"We've been here for ten minutes, Will. I don't want to push our luck." I leaned down and offered him my hand to help him up. "Come on, El-Tee. Let's go."

Much to my surprise, Willis took my hand without protest. "Thank you, ma'am," he said, smiling at me as he stood back on his feet. God, I really wanted to kiss him right now.

"No problem, Lieutenant. I'm just glad you're ok," I said. I turned my back on him quickly to avoid doing anything inappropriate and began to lead my squad towards the clearing. It wasn't much further to Lienz now.

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In retrospect, I shouldn't have been all that surprised that the Covenant attacked once we left the gravel road. After all, the eleventh hour had always been the aliens' favorite time to come out and play, so why should this combat patrol be any different?

First squad and I were in the middle of the field when the enemy projectiles began coming our way. I immediately went prone out of pure reflex, quickly ordering everyone else to do the same as I held my rifle tight with both hands.

"Where the fuck are they?" Corporal Simmons shouted through the COM channel.

"Keep your heads down, Marines! They'll have snipers with 'em!" Willis yelled above the sound of human and Covenant weapons going off.

While I was busy searching for a target, I felt my husband grab onto one of my combat boots. Turning my head to see what he was trying to do, I watched as he crawled up to my position. "This the same group that's been after us the whole time?" I asked him.

"I think it might be," he answered. "Coop, we need to get out of here now. They'll set fire to the field and pick us off."

"Right." Opening a COM channel to the patrol team, I moved up slowly through the grass as I ordered, "First squad, forget the Covies for now. Just stay low and advance quickly, because this shit can get a whole lot worse real fast."

"Captain, I suggest you let me take point," Willis said, crawling ahead of me as he spoke. "I know where to find the best defensive position so we can deal with those bastards."

"Go ahead, Will. I'm right behind you."

Slithering like a bunch of garden snakes, my Marines and I trailed after Willis as he lead us to yet another set of low stone walls in the center of the clearing. Damn, Earth people sure loved their ancient stone walls…or maybe that was just Europe.

"Roman ruins," Willis informed me as needles and plasma rounds flew over his head. He and I were the first to reach the walls, and we made ourselves as small as possible to make the most of our cover.

"Marines, get to the ruins and start using those weapons!" I cried into the radio, lifting my battle rifle above the wall and firing off a few blind bursts of my own. Noticing that the aliens' volume of fire decreased when I sent bullets their way, Willis decided to join in with his submachine gun.

"How the hell did they get here before us?" I asked incredulously, glancing back at the rest of the squad to make sure they were using the ruins as cover. "Will, this can't be the same group of Covies."

He snorted. "Sure seems like they're using the same tactics. But unfortunately for them, this time it's not just one lone and unprotected pilot out here."

As soon as the rest of first squad made it to the cover of the stone walls, they started letting loose with their rifles and SMGs. The amount of Covenant projectiles _whooshing_ at the field began to slowly diminish, and we finally had a chance to mount a counterattack.

Sadly, it wasn't meant to be. Once the Brute leaders discovered that they weren't going to win the engagement, they sent their troops rushing into the grass towards us.

With the combined fire of twelve Marines, the initial wave of Grunts didn't stand a chance; they were gunned down swiftly within seconds. But each group of Covenant that came was a little tougher than the last, and by the time the Brutes showed up, we'd already expended much of our ammo--and energy.

Consisting of four Jackals and three Brutes, the remaining aliens comprised all that was left of a once formidable group of enemy warriors. I ordered my Marines to concentrate their fire on the deadliest targets first and leave the Jackals for the end, a tactic that had served me well in many past encounters.

But today, something went wrong.

As usual, the trio of Brutes were difficult to bring down, even for a dozen battle-hardened human soldiers. Brute shot rounds blew pieces of rock, dirt, and grass into the air like geysers, and I had to use my body to shield Willis from the debris more than once. Unlike the brief skirmish with the Drones, I didn't have time to worry about his reaction during this firefight; the single thought running through my mind was that he'd die without armor plates and a helmet to protect him, and that was the only thing that mattered.

When the aliens weren't busy utilizing the surrounding environment to kill us, I managed to rip a frag grenade off my web belt and toss it at the one Brute and two Jackals left. One of the Jackals squawked and rolled out of the way, but the other was caught in the blast. The bird-like alien's body exploded in a mess of blood, its guts splattering the opposite side of the stone wall.

And while everyone was concentrating their fire on the injured and enraged Brute, the surviving Jackal leveled its weapon right at Willis.

Jumping quickly to my feet, I didn't really think so much as react. I brought my BR55 to bear and pulled the trigger, but the uneven terrain beneath my boots skewed my three-round burst. The bullets went wide, and suddenly the alien had a clear shot right at my chest.

"No fucking way," I uttered in disbelief.

A plasma pistol round impacted my armor an instant later, knocking the wind out of me and sending a sharp pain through my body. I landed flat on my back with a hard thud, unable to breathe.

"Natalie!" I heard Willis scream behind me. There was a long burst of submachine gun fire, the pained shriek of a dying Jackal, and then the stars circling above my head resolved into my husband's ashen face. Kneeling beside me, he said in a quivering voice, "Come on, Coop, please tell me you're not…"

With air finally filling my lungs again, I almost laughed. "Don't be so dramatic, Will."

I saw him grin for the briefest of moments, but his expression quickly changed as he gave me a scolding look. "Jesus, Cooper, what the hell were you thinking? I do _not_ want you dead because of me, Natalie, do you understand?"

"Hey, I'm the one wearing the hard metal stuff. It's only fair."

Doc Reynolds was on scene before Willis could reply. "Captain, you all right?"

"Yeah. I might have a bruise later, but the bastard didn't have enough time to charge it up much." I took a deep breath. _Doesn't change the fact that it was still scary as shit_, I thought to myself.

Petty Officer Reynolds nodded. "You got lucky, ma'am. Though sadly, I think it's just run out."

"What do you mean?" Willis asked.

Looking from Willis to me, the medic said, "Sir, ma'am…Cat's out of the bag now with this little scene. And I'm pretty sure you know what I mean."


	19. Chapter 18: Catching Up

Author's Note: So I wasn't exactly sure how to go about writing this chapter at first, mostly because I didn't know what the policy is on spouses serving together. But, through a timely article on MSN (which talked about married U.S. military troops in Iraq), I was able to figure out how to manage the whole spouse-working-together thing. Turns out the U.S. Army just changed its policy recently and is now allowing some married troops to live together while on deployment, so I kinda used that as my model.

Anyway, hope you enjoy and please please review!

**

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****Chapter Eighteen: Catching Up**

**1347 Hours, September 26, 2552. UNSC Foxtrot Base, Lienz, Austria. "The Question," Planet Earth. ****Day Forty-Seven of the Invasion of Earth**

"So you're the miracle pilot, huh?" Major Phillips inquired, looking Willis up and down with mild curiosity as the lieutenant stepped into the office.

Standing off to the side with my arms folded across my chest, I shot a quick glance at my husband as he stopped in front of my battalion commander's desk. When we'd returned to base yesterday just before noon, Willis had only had enough energy to shower before hitting his bunk hard; even after he'd already slept for a little over twenty-four hours, it had still been difficult to get him to wake up in time for this meeting. But somehow he'd managed, and now that Willis was rested and clean-shaven once more, he looked every bit like the squared away Marine he usually was.

"At ease, son," the major said as he pulled out his datapad. "You know we had you and your co-pilot for dead?"

My husband shot me a quizzical look while Phillips was engrossed in his electronic device, but I kept my expression carefully neutral. "No, sir, I didn't know that."

Major Phillips snorted, apparently still in disbelief that my team had managed to find one of the pilots alive. "Told Captain Cooper here that this was more a dogtag retrieval mission than a rescue. But damn are we glad to see you made it, Marine. You must have a helluva lot of guts, skill, and straight-up luck, son. I hope you realize that."

"Thank you, sir," Willis replied. Pulling the second set of dogtags down from his neck and handing them to the major, a somber look came upon Willis's face. "But my buddy wasn't so fortunate, Major."

"I'm sorry, son. I'm sure you did what you could," the older officer said brusquely, grabbing the identification tags before returning his attention to his datapad. "Well, let's find out how to connect you back to your unit, kid. What's your name?"

"Hawk, sir. My squadron is based out of Denmark, sir, but we've been separated since."

"Hmm." Phillips concentrated on the screen of his device for a moment, then said, "Are you First Lieutenant William Peter Hawk?"

"Yes, sir. That's me."

"Twenty-five-year-old Longsword pilot from Emerald Pines, Mars," Phillips continued to read.

"Correct, sir."

The major's eyebrows suddenly shot up in surprise, and a kind of grimace formed on his face. "Graduated from the prestigious Reach Naval Academy on June 6, 2547, eh?"

"Five years ago on D-Day, yes, sir," Willis answered.

Phillips chuckled, but it wasn't really an amused one. "Oh, that's not what's remarkable, son." His eyes finally moved up from his datapad, and he looked first at me, then at Willis. "Here's something interesting: not only were you both commissioned together at the Academy, but it says here you two were also _married_ on that same day. Now, either of you care to explain why this information was not imparted to me before now?"

Because I was the ranking officer, I figured it was my responsibility to reply. "Sir, all due respect, but I was never made aware that the two missing pilots were actually my husband and his co-pilot." Something I was still very bitter about, but I chose not to mention that part.

Major Phillips gave me a look that could have stopped plasma in its tracks. "The identity of the pilots was never disclosed to me, either, Cooper, and therefore the intel wasn't there for you to receive," he said rather harshly. "But that is beside the point. Captain, you and the lieutenant have been on base for over twenty-four hours now. Do you wish to tell me that it never occurred to you to inform me of the situation?"

"No excuse, sir," I answered. I knew any attempt at further explanation would land me in even bigger trouble, and I didn't want to piss off my CO.

The battalion commander sighed. "Captain Cooper, did you breach regulation and allow Lieutenant Hawk to share your quarters with you yesterday?"

"No, sir," I responded immediately.

"Sir, permission to speak?" Willis cut in. He waited for Major Phillips to nod, then continued, "My wife ordered me directly to the male barracks upon arrival, Major."

Phillips let the response sink in, and finally he nodded in approval. "Smart move, Captain," he said to me. He sighed and remained silent for a good minute, but he eventually looked up at us again. "I assume you two will request to be billeted together while you are on base?"

Willis and I exchanged brief glances, then turned back to the major. "Yes, sir," we answered in unison.

"I expected as much. All right, because you did not violate any rules, I'm going to do you both a favor and grant your request right here. Just remember that when you are on duty--" Major Phillips looked at me. "You are a captain, and he--" Phillips turned his gaze on Willis. "--is a first lieutenant. There is no 'this is my spouse' bullshit; you two are just a couple of regular Marines with different ranks, simple as that, and I expect you to act that way. And let me make this perfectly clear: there is absolutely no PDA on or off-duty. I have no doubt you will keep it professional, but remember that there will be consequences if you do not follow the rules. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Willis and I answered.

"Good. Now, Hawk, I am going to see if I can get in touch with your unit, but it may take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to coordinate. So, I might just send you on missions with my battalion in the meantime. You're a Marine, after all, and there is no reason why you should be on base scratching your ass while others--such as your wife--are out fighting Covenant."

"Yes, sir, I agree," Willis said.

"All right. Now that we're all on the same page, this meeting no longer has a purpose." The officer leaned back in his chair and alternated his focus between my husband and I. "There will be a battalion briefing for the officers at 1415 hours. I expect to see you both present. Dismissed."

"Sir!" Willis and I saluted, performed an about face, and emerged from Major Phillips's office.

"Well, that was an experience I wouldn't want to repeat," Willis commented once we were out of earshot. "Your CO always like that?"

"What, you mean acts like he has a perpetual stick up his ass? Yes. But he's also a damn good leader and tactician. He's got about a million medals, most for valor under fire, and I still haven't figured out why they haven't made him a light colonel by now." I walked briskly as we rounded a corner to catch up with Willis. For a guy who was about to pass out from exhaustion just a day ago, he sure booked it. "Jesus, Will, are you trying to speed-walk a marathon here?"

He finally slowed down and flashed a goofy grin at me. "Sorry, Coop. I'm just really hungry, and I want to get to the chow hall before the briefing."

Entering the mess, my husband and I went through the chow line and found a relatively isolated spot to sit. Willis, who hadn't eaten in God knew how long, devoured his enormous plate of food practically before I even sat down.

"You're going to get sick during PT, you know," I warned him.

Seemingly unperturbed, he gave me a smug look as he leaned back in his chair. "Got a stomach of steel, Cooper. There isn't too much that'll make me hurl. Besides, have you forgotten how nice it is to finally eat after days of starvation?"

I snorted. "Hope it's worth it when you end up blowing chunks all over your boots, El-Tee."

Willis and I sat there for several seconds, staring at each other with serious expressions before we burst out laughing.

"I'm pretty screwed, aren't I?" he said.

I nodded in agreement. "That you are, Will." Finishing up the last of my meal, I smirked, adding "Especially if Major Phillips chooses to put you under my command. Then you'll really have a rough time on the runs--and don't think I'll give you any preferential treatment, either."

Willis grinned. He sat up and leaned across the table, keeping his voice low as he spoke. "You, me, and physical training. Now _that_ sounds like a great combination."

I raised one of my eyebrows at him, successfully concealing a grin of my own for once. "I thought you were in terrible pain from your wounds yesterday."

"I was. But you know, it's pretty amazing what solid rack time and some stitches can do." He finally sat back in his seat. "I've got some pain, yeah, but nowhere near as much as I did the day before."

"So you're uh…fit for duty then, huh?"

His grin widened, and he winked at me. "That's affirmative, Captain."

"Good to know," I said, grinning back.

He chuckled, then his expression grew more serious. "What about you, Coop? How're you feeling after taking that plasma shot to the chest?"

"Sore as hell," I answered, rubbing the spot absently. "Doc says I only bruised the top of my sternum, though, nothing too bad."

"Battered and bruised by the Covies," Willis mused, interlocking his fingers behind his head. "Yup, things are definitely getting back to normal."

Now that he mentioned the Covenant, I suddenly remembered the phenomena that had bothered me since my arrival on Earth. Willis had already been here well before the invasion started, and so I figured he might have some insight into the subject.

"What is it, Cooper?" he asked, sensing that I was mulling something over in my head.

"Will, you know I haven't even been on-planet for forty-eight hours yet, but I _have_ spent a good portion of the time out looking for you."

"Yeah…"

"Well, I noticed during our patrol that there were always plenty of Covies around, but I don't think I ever saw a single Elite out there. Don't you think that's a little weird?"

I glanced at him with a questioning look, waiting for his face to light up in surprise as he answered. Willis, however, did neither. "Willis, what happened? Did all the Elites go extinct or something while I was gone?" That sounded way too good to be true, but I silently hoped anyway.

After a long hesitation, my husband finally sighed. "Don't freak out when I tell you, all right? I don't know how your unit hasn't found out yet, Natalie, but the truth is, the Elites are--"

"Natalie! Safe return from your rescue mission, I see," a voice suddenly said behind me.

Turning around in my seat, I smiled when I saw who it was. "Hey, Dean. Come on, pull up a chair."

Lieutenant Lewis smiled back, placing his tray on the table and sitting beside Willis and I. As soon as he was settled, Lewis looked from me to Willis. "Pardon me for asking, Lieutenant, but who are you?"

"Dean, this is my husband, William Hawk. Will, this is Dean Lewis, my best buddy in Bravo Company."

"Heard a lot about your part in the battle in Cote D'Azur, Lewis," Willis said as the two men shook hands.

The other first lieutenant grinned. "I've heard much more about you, William, all good things. She never stops speaking of you and your son."

"It's ok, Dean. He doesn't need his ego inflated."

Dean scoffed. "No matter. It is the truth, after all." He turned to face me. "You really must explain how this occurred, Natalie."

"You know how Major Phillips sent us out on that patrol in order to find a couple of pilots?"

My friend nodded.

"Well, he just happened to be one of them."

"Really?" Lieutenant Lewis asked, skeptical.

Willis laughed. "No bullshit, Lewis." Quickly checking his watch, my husband nodded to himself. "We got a couple minutes, so here's the story. We were both in this forest, Natalie on her patrol and me by myself, being chased by a bunch of Covies…"

With that, Willis and I recounted our unlikely tale to Lewis; when we finished, it was already time for all of us to go to the battalion officers' briefing.

And somewhere during the course of the conversation, I had managed to forget all about my inquiry.


	20. Chapter 19: Personal vs Professional 2

Author's Note: Thanks so much for the great reviews! Feedback is the life-blood of the writer, so please keep 'em coming! Hope you enjoy this chappy and peace.****************

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Chapter Nineteen: Separating the Personal From the Professional, Part Two

The two lieutenants and I must have arrived just in time for the briefing, because Major Benjamin Phillips started the moment we entered the room.

"All right, everyone," the major began, glancing around at the top officers of each company. "As you are all aware, we here at Foxtrot Base are as close to the lines as an outpost gets. Most of you have been rotated to perimeter guard duty, and there is a large percentage of guards who have reported Covenant activity as close as the gates. Some of you may be wondering why the Covies are so interested in this tiny little town, and for a while the base commanders had no idea, either.

"What Battalion _has_ known is that the area surrounding Lienz is crawling with the alien bastards, and through numerous patrols we have finally discovered the reason for their presence."

Major Phillips turned off the lights in the briefing room and projected an aerial map of what looked like the peak of a mountain. "The top of this ridge overlooks a valley several klicks from our town. ONI tells us that there is a good-sized Covenant encampment hidden in this valley, and we also have strong evidence to support the inference that one of the Prophets is staying with the force. What do they want with a mountain hideaway outside a small European town? We're not really sure just yet, but rest assured that the spooks from the Office of Naval Intelligence are looking into the situation as we speak."

Pressing one of the buttons on his datapad, the major brought the lights back on in the room, and the maps of our area of operations disappeared as well. He looked out at the ranking officers of the 102nd Battalion, and I was surprised to find his gaze suddenly resting on me.

"I wanted to inform the entire battalion of what will be happening in two days' time, for reasons pertaining to the possible need for reinforcement, but this operation is actually being tasked to Captain Cooper's Bravo Company. Now, before I continue with the details, are there any questions so far?"

Most of the officers remained silent as they turned to look at me, and I knew what they were all thinking: the battalion commander gave a mission involving a Covenant Prophet to the kid who was just promoted? Sometimes it seemed that although I'd received many approving nods at the conclusion of the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV, I still hadn't proven myself to the desired extent. The older officers accepted and even admired what I had done to get my new rank, and all had assured me that the promotion was well-deserved; that wasn't the problem. I suspected the real cause of their hesitation didn't lie with my job performance, but with the simple fact that I was a newcomer to the game of commanding a company. Newbies, no matter how good, couldn't possibly be up to par with the vets.

Guess I'd just have to prove them wrong.

"Sir?" I said, raising my hand.

Phillips nodded at me. "Go ahead, Captain."

"How large of a Covenant force are we talking about, Major?"

The battalion commander glanced down at his datapad before responding. "We estimate their numbers to be anywhere from company to battalion strength, Cooper. But remember that the valley is well camouflaged, covered in snow, and fairly large--perfect for keeping surplus troops out of sight. The fact that they are holed up near mountain peaks is another indicator that the enemy may be housing an even greater contingent. You start cracking open the rocks there and making caves--as the Covenant are apt to do--and you could hide hundreds of goodies underground. This is why I mentioned that the rest of the battalion will be put on stand-by for this operation."

"Thank you, sir," I replied when his explanation was complete.

Major Phillips gave me a second curt nod, then began speaking to the rest of the battalion's officers once more. "What I am about to say here does not leave this room, and failure to comply with the regulations concerning classified material could lead to a charge of treason. The penalty for such a crime, as I'm sure you are all well aware, is death. So, next time you boys and girls feel like mouthing off to impress that hot young thing you see across the bar, be sure to think before you start yakking."

I saw Willis, who was sitting beside me, suddenly grin out the corner of my eye. Leaning over to whisper in my ear, he said, "Changed my mind, Coop. I think I like this guy."

"That's good," I whispered back, "'cause now you'll have to serve with him for a bit."

"Now that you've had a chance to wrap that information around your head," Phillips continued, "let's move on to the purpose of this mission. First of all, it is officially designated Operation Everest, after the tallest mountain on this planet. In the initial phase, Captain Cooper and her company will trek up the mountain overlooking the objective to reach the ridge. Once there, Cooper, you will send scouts ahead of the rest of the company to get estimates on the number of enemy troops in the encampment. If the force seems to be too much for one company, you may call in for reinforcements at this time. Realize, however, that in doing so, you are forcing your company to stay hunkered down until help arrives. This may leave you vulnerable to attack if you are discovered." The major gave me a long look, making sure I understood the implications. "Keep this information in mind when you are making your decision, Captain."

"Yes, sir," I answered.

He took a breath, then went on. "All right, the second and final portion of Operation Everest is, of course, the takedown." Phillips stared at the officers crowded into the briefing room, then looked directly to my right--at Willis. "First Lieutenant Hawk?"

Startled, my husband quickly sat up straighter. "Yes, sir?"

"For our hotshot pilot who has seemingly come back from the dead, I give you the most difficult task of the operation."

"Sir?"

"Lieutenant, your file states that in addition to being one of the best pilots to grace the Marine Corps in recent years, you are also an expert sniper. Before I divulge your portion of the mission, would you say this information is correct?"

"Well…" Realizing all eyes were on him, Willis cleared his throat and spoke louder. "I've gone on two successful sniper missions in my short career, sir, and whenever I'm not training in my bird, I'm practicing on the range with sniper rifles. Honestly, though, it's been a while since my last deployment as a sharpshooter, sir."

"Then I suppose you will have to spend every waking moment from now until the operation begins at the firing range, won't you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Lieutenant Hawk, you will be placed under the command of Captain Cooper for this mission, and you, son, will be the one to take the shot at the Prophet."

A hushed silence came over the room. The Office of Naval Intelligence had entrusted our battalion with a critical task, a privilege normally reserved for Spartans, ODSTs, or Special Forces units: the assassination of a high-ranking enemy leader. I couldn't believe Major Phillips had chosen Bravo Company--_my_ company--to complete Operation Everest, and with my husband acting as sniper, no less.

This was too good to be true...which meant that somewhere along the way, there had to be some sort of catch.

But whatever that catch would end up being, it wasn't mentioned here. Major Phillips explained further to the battalion that the Prophet's body was to be returned to Foxtrot Base upon successful completion of the mission, and that this could help secure an advantage over the Covenant in all of Europe.

"As I said earlier, Operation Everest will begin in two days at approximately 0330 hours. Captain Cooper?"

"Sir?"

"I want Bravo Company prepped, readied, and trained before then. Weapons, ammo, and other equipment are all at your disposal, Captain, and you can take as much gear with you as you deem fit. You are also to brief your company on this operation tomorrow at 0800 hours, but I do not want a word of this getting out before that time. Tell Bravo that in addition to mission prep, they are also expected to continue their rotation to perimeter duty around base--and that includes you, Cooper. According to the roster, you are due out later this afternoon."

"Yes, sir, I'm on it," I said.

"Excellent. Lieutenant Hawk?"

"Sir?"

"I've got an open slot for you at the range this afternoon, as well. Choose whichever variation of the sniper rifle you wish, and train hard. This mission will be no walk in the park, son."

"Yes, sir, I understand."

"Glad to hear it. For the rest of you who are not embarking on Operation Everest, I want your companies training and ready to go at a moment's notice; should Captain Cooper be in need of back-up, I want to see squared away Marines who can mobilize within a few minutes. Every second counts when you're out in the field, people, and don't you forget it." The major stood there quietly for a few seconds, giving us all one last commanding look. "All right, Marines. Dismissed."

As the officers of the 102nd Battalion filed out the door, I followed Willis and Dean to the back of the line. Just when it was our turn to finally exit, however, Major Phillips called my husband and I back. Lieutenant Lewis gave us a half-questioning, half-amused look, but I shrugged--I had about as much an idea about this as he did.

Phillips waited for all of the Marines to leave before he turned to face us. Leaning casually against one of the tables as he folded his arms across his chest, the major spoke. "I suppose you are wondering what this is all about," he said matter-of-factly.

Willis glanced at me, clearly unsure what to do. "Yes, sir."

"I realize we have already addressed this issue once today, but there is a lot riding on this mission." He sighed, keeping his gaze locked firmly on Willis and I. "Lieutenant Hawk, Captain Cooper, I do not want anything--_anything_--to distract from the proper execution of this operation. It is too important to be fucked up, especially over two young and married Marines unused to this sort of cooperative. If you have any reservations at all about your ability to work together on this task, I would like to be notified right now."

At first, I was taken aback, and even a little offended, by the major's questioning; I realized, though, that if I were in his shoes I would probably be doing the same thing. _He's right_, I thought. _This mission's way too big to mess it up. _"No, sir. I don't have any reservations whatsoever."

"Neither do I, Major," Willis replied.

Major Benjamin Phillips looked at both of us in turn, resting his steely eyes on us for a lingering moment before finally nodding. "All right. I want you two to know that I chose both of you for this task because of the unique set of skills and expertise you bring to the operation. Hawk, with your piloting and marksmanship skills, you obviously have keen eyesight and instincts we can use to our advantage. And you, Cooper, quite simply have the stealth, leadership, and tactical brain for this.

"Alone, neither of you would have been chosen for the operation; there are other, more experienced officers for both jobs. But I figured that if we put the two of you together, we'd have a better shot at success than just pairing one of the older officers up with a career sniper. There is also the additional advantage provided by your marriage: you two already trust and know each other, know how the other thinks and acts. While this is often presumed, however, it might not always be the case, so I decided to scope out the evidence for myself with this private meeting. Lucky for all of us, you passed."

"Thank you, sir," I said. "At least, I think so."

Phillips chuckled. "Not to worry, Marines. You'll both do fine. But I do have one final and serious note."

"Sir?" Willis and I asked in unison.

"This mission is supposed to be in and out, but you know how these things go. You two may be out there, along with the rest of Bravo Company, for a long stretch of time if things go sour. I understand the sense of urgency that comes with being in a survival situation, and the natural temptations between you youngsters. But…make sure nothing happens out there. Regulations aside, a few moments of inattention--on your part especially, Cooper, since you are in command--could mean the death of not only yourselves, but the entire company. Am I making this very clear?"

"Yes, sir," Willis and I answered.

"Perfect. As I said, these are not actions I expect of two upstanding officers such as yourselves, but the gravity of this mission makes it imperative that I have this discussion with you. Anyway, now that we're done here, you will excuse me. I have some preparations to make before your company leaves."

My husband and I saluted the major, still standing at attention even as he walked out the door.

"Did you hear that?" Willis said once Phillips was gone. He grinned at me. "Your CO just ordered you to keep your hands off me, Coop."

I gave him a hard but playful shove when he started laughing. "I wouldn't find this so amusing if I were you," I said, trying but failing to keep a straight face.

Willis raised an eyebrow at me. "Why's that?"

I smirked at him. "Because, it's just like I said in the mess. Like it or not, you're serving under me now, Mister."

Suddenly walking the few paces separating us, Willis glanced around the empty room before putting his arms around me and smirking back. "You know, Cooper, that doesn't sound half bad," he said.

He leaned in then and kissed me for the first time since I'd left St. Louis. Prior to yesterday, over two and half months had passed since we'd seen each other last, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain self-control. I kissed him back, even though a part of me was afraid that we were about to get caught on a PDA violation.

"So how much time do we have until we're on duty again?" I asked him.

"Enough. Why? Thinking of sneaking off somewhere like the good ol' Academy days?"

I laughed. "No, the security is much more lax around here. We're actually allowed to bunk together, remember?"

Willis grinned. "I knew there was a reason I liked this place."

This time, I didn't mind that my husband was speed-walking down the hallways of Foxtrot Base.

Once we were alone inside my quarters, he had me against the door the moment it shut. We tore off our jackets hastily as we kissed, and Willis threw his T-shirt on the floor a second later. With both of us already breathing heavy, I wrapped my arms around his back as his hands found my waist. Tugging the bottom of my shirt out from the top of my uniform pants, he quickly slipped his hands beneath the shirt and began pulling me towards the bunk.

In the meantime, I had managed to undo the fly on his trousers as we continued kissing with fervor. A few bumbling steps got us in front of the bed, and while Willis was taking my shirt off he suddenly tripped over his pants. I fell back onto the bunk with Willis landing over me, and there was a brief pause before we resumed kissing and clothing-removal again.

"I love you, Willis," I whispered in the moment.

"I love you, too, Natalie," he whispered back.


	21. Chapter 20: Old Habits Die Hard

**Chapter Twenty: Old Habits Die Hard**

"Natalie?"

Sitting on the edge of the bed as I focused on lacing up my boots, I turned to glance at my husband. While I was already at least partially dressed in my bra and uniform pants, Willis was still lying in bed, wearing only the sheets up to his hips.

Damn, did I hate that I had to leave for guard duty right now.

"Hand me my T-shirt, would you?" I asked, ignoring his question. I had a feeling that whatever he was going to say would only delay my departure, and there wasn't much time before I was supposed to be at my post. Quickly returning my attention to my boots, I finished putting them on while I waited for Willis to give me the remainder of my garrison uniform.

Instead of following my request, however, he sat up and wrapped his arms around my waist from behind. Pushing my hair back from my ear, he whispered, "Don't go, Natalie."

"Will…" He knew I couldn't skip out on perimeter watch, and he himself was scheduled to train with sniper rifles out at the range while I was gone. So why was he making this so difficult? I was planning on articulating these thoughts to him when he suddenly began kissing my shoulder softly. Now that _really_ wasn't motivating me to leave. "Willis, I can't--"

"Liar. We still have a few minutes," Willis said, shifting slightly to press his lips against the side of my neck.

How was I supposed to say no to that?

_Oh, what the hell_, I thought. _It's not like we'll have very many opportunities after this, what with the big mission coming up and everything. _

A faint smile came upon my face as I finally turned my head and kissed him back. Somewhere in the depths of my mind, a little voice was yelling at me to put an end to this while I still could, but unfortunately for the rational part of my brain, my body was simultaneously sending me a very different message. Feeling rather conflicted, I tried one last time to get my husband to think with his head rather than a certain part of his male anatomy. "We really have to go, Will."

"Mm-hmm," was the only acknowledgement I received.

But the more he kissed me, the less I thought about all the other stuff. Eventually, passion won out over reason, and when Willis pulled me down on top of him, I just grinned without protest. Surprised to find no resistance, he grinned right back, our breathing getting louder as we got into some heavy making out. It didn't take long for Willis to move his hands to the zipper of my uniform trousers, and he was almost starting to unbutton them when there was a sudden knock on the door.

My husband and I froze, staring at each other in a silent panic.

"Captain Cooper?"

"_Crap_," I muttered under my breath. Leaning over Willis to grab my shirt, I got to my feet fast and quickly put on the missing article of clothing. Taking an extra moment to fix up my tousled hair, I took a deep, calming breath and managed to get to the door after the second knock.

"Corporal Garian," I said, opening the door only enough for my aide to see me. "I'm going to assume you're here about perimeter duty?"

"Yes, ma'am. Sorry to bother you, Captain, but I was walking by and noticed that you hadn't emerged from your quarters yet." His expression looked thoughtful, as if he were trying to remember something. "I think we're posted together, ma'am, so I wanted to wait for you before I headed out."

"Good idea, Corporal. I was just about to leave myself. I'll be out as soon as I grab the rest of my gear, so you go ahead to the armory in the meantime. Meet you there in a minute."

Garian nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

I shut the door again once he'd left and immediately turned to face Willis. Folding my arms across my chest and smirking, I said to him, "In case you're wondering, this is the last time I ever listen to you."

"Duly noted, Coop," he replied, grinning wide as he stood and started getting dressed. "But you gotta admit, if he hadn't come over here..."

"Yeah, I know. We would've both caught hell for being late, though." I gave him a look. "I think in the future, we should try to steer clear of anything that will compromise our living arrangement."

Willis frowned at me as he pulled on his T-shirt and tucked it into his uniform pants. "Does that mean no more--"

"No letting it get in the way of our duties_,_" I clarified. "And I'm definitely with Phillips about the mission: nothing happens in the field. There's so many things wrong with that that I don't even know where to begin."

"Oh. Ok, I'll agree to that part." He smiled at me as I moved across the room to pick up my helmet, gloves, and jacket. "Good luck at the gates, Coop. Don't let the alien bastards through if they show up."

I smiled back. "Thanks, and I won't. You be sure to give those virtual targets hell, Will."

"Always." As I walked past him with my equipment to get to the door, he stopped to give me a quick goodbye kiss. "See you later, Cooper."

"See ya."

Stepping out into the hallway, I quickly put on my jacket and strapped on my gloves as I made my way towards the armory; I decided as I was walking that I didn't really need the helmet for simple guard duty. When I finally arrived at my intended destination, I picked up an MA5B assault rifle, two clips of ammo, and a frag grenade before setting my helmet down on the weapons rack. I'd come back for it later when I returned the rifle to its place.

Corporal Kaleb Garian was already waiting for me outside by the time I finished gathering my equipment. "Just talked to a guy from Alpha Company, ma'am," he said as he fell into step with me. "Said the lines've been pretty quiet today."

"Let's hope that continues, Corporal." I slapped a fresh clip of shredder rounds into my assault rifle and cocked the weapon. "Otherwise, I'd sure as hell hate to be the Covies."

My aide grinned. "Yes, ma'am."

"Southeast sector for us this afternoon?"

Garian produced a datapad from his pocket and checked the information before replying. "Yes, Captain."

"And if I'm not mistaken, the real hotspots were on the north side."

He nodded in reply, tightening his grip around the MA5C he carried as we approached our watch area. With his helmet's visor currently raised up, I saw his green eyes dart from side to side, inspecting the landscape for any sign of the enemy. "Appears to be all clear, Captain."

I gestured with my gun. "Then move it up, Garian. We're to be posted half a klick forward of the gates."

"Yes, ma'am."

The young corporal and I moved rapidly through the gently sloping grass that made up the edges of Foxtrot's terrain, keeping our rifles in our hands all the while. Based on what I'd heard about the southern part of the perimeter, I wasn't exactly shocked when we made it safely to our designated location.

Pulling his faceplate down over his face, Corporal Garian was silent for a moment before he reported, "No contacts, Captain. Still quiet around here."

I had to suppress a sigh; it was poor discipline as an officer to show disinterest in a task. But in my head, I was thinking: _These are going to be the most boring six hours ever_._ At least Will gets to actually_ fire_ his rifle, even if it's not at real aliens._

Despite my misgivings about having to pull perimeter duty, however, the first few hours went by surprisingly fast. Contrary to my initial belief, there were many little things around here that were able to keep my mind preoccupied: visually scanning for Covenant, chatting with Corporal Garian, checking my weapon, and just plain reflecting.

Mostly, I found myself thinking--and at the same time, worrying--about my son.

Although Willis had assured me that Gabriel was hiding out in a secure location far beneath the city of St. Louis, Missouri, I still couldn't help but feel an ever-present sense of anxiety. It wasn't enough for me to know that my husband had recently received a message confirming our son's safety; I wanted to be there myself, see Gabe with my own eyes and defend him from the invading Covenant. And though Willis didn't consciously let his own feelings show, there were many subtle hints that displayed his thoughts. He was worried about Gabe, too, and I also knew that Willis was aching from the instinctive impulse to protect him. Unfortunately, there was simply nothing either of us could do for now.

Except kill all the alien bastards we happened to come across, of course.

"Check your scanners again, Corporal," I ordered, looking out into the distance with my field binoculars. I couldn't see anything lurking around the nearby meadows, but I was still wary about what lay beyond the thick patch of trees about five hundred meters out. _Good place for the Covies to congregate and keep an eye on us_, I thought. _They could easily stage some form of attack from there._

"Negative findings, ma'am," Garian said after a moment. He lifted his faceplate and gave me a small grin. "Would've seen some action if we'd been posted to the north side, Captain. This sector's nothing but--"

Corporal Garian and I ducked our heads out of reflex when an explosion rocked the ground beneath us.

"Jesus!" the corporal exclaimed, his face suddenly going white. "What the hell was that?"

"Perimeter defenses," I answered, swinging my assault rifle in the direction of the trees as I watched for any sign of movement. "That was a LOTUS anti-tank mine, Garian. And I'll give you one good guess about where that one went off."

We waited for the unseen enemy to reveal itself, looking down the sights of our rifles even though they were out of range of the potential target. After five minutes passed without activity, I turned to face Corporal Garian.

"Open a COM channel to Major Phillips and let base know what's happening," I said to him. "In the meantime, I'm going to go check out the situation."

"Yes, ma'am," the corporal replied, bringing down his visor once more.

I immediately started running through the low grass that made up our sector, but I stopped when I got to within a few dozen meters of the tree line--beyond that distance lay the mines. Because the explosives were set off by motion rather than something's weight falling on them, it was always best to keep a good distance to avoid accidental triggering; I wasn't really looking to go out with a bang at the moment. Pointing the barrel of my MA5B assault rifle at the ground, I strained my eyes to see if there was a destroyed vehicle or bloody body anywhere nearby. Much to my surprise, however, there were no _pieces_ of Covies or enemy armor…but there _was_ a stunned-looking alien that came stumbling out the woods.

It was an Elite, the first one I'd seen since coming planetside.

Suddenly holding my weapon to bear, I didn't even take the time to wonder how he had made it out of the trees alive. I quickly placed my finger on the inside of the trigger guard and was about to send the Elite on to the afterlife when it spoke.

"Ah, another human? You are different from the one who was here before." It shook its head. "Is it necessary for your commanders to constantly change the guard?"

A small part of me wondered why he was speaking to me instead of trying to kill me, but years of training overcame curiosity. Without thinking, I took advantage of his momentary daze and rushed up to him, smacking the butt of my rifle against the back of his helmeted head hard. The Elite growled as his unsteady legs buckled beneath him, and he fell to his knees.

"What is the meaning of this?" it wheezed. "I am an ally of yours, have you forgotten?"

Aiming my assault rifle at its head, I stood over him and snorted. "Yeah, you Covies are always playing your fucking little mind games, aren't you? Well, guess what, you son of a bitch? I'm not falling for it." I shoved the barrel of my weapon against its throat and stepped on the Elite's torso with my left boot. "I was going to bring you in for interrogation, but I think I'll just get rid of you right here."

His eyes went wide. "You do not understand--"

"Listen," I said angrily, cutting him off when I pressed my gun on him harder. "I don't know who the fuck you think you are, but _you are not my friend_."

I leaned into the MA5B in my hands and fired.


	22. Chapter 21: Greatest Ally & Worst Enemy

Author's Note: Big thanks to reviewers, you guys are the best! Hope you continue to enjoy with this next chapter, and feedback is always very much appreciated. ;-)

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Chapter Twenty-One: Your Greatest Ally and Your Worst Enemy**

I pulled the trigger of my assault rifle, intent on filling the Elite's neck with shredder rounds to take him out, but nothing happened.

_Shit!_ I thought. Whoever had been issued this weapon before me hadn't cleaned it well upon return, and the MA5B in my hands had just jammed at a very inopportune moment. I quickly tossed the gun aside and reached for the silenced pistol strapped to my belt instead, knowing this motion would be faster than trying to do something about the MA5B. Still, it wasn't quite fast enough.

No doubt an experienced fighter, the black-armored Elite didn't wait for me to prep my personal sidearm to take action. He was back on his feet with surprising speed, considering his earlier disorientation, and the alien tackled me before I even had a chance to cock my extra weapon.

I grunted more out of pain than surprise when I hit the ground a second later; the Elite's heavy fist had connected with my bruised sternum as he tried to reach for my throat. "Fuck...you," I said through gritted teeth, shutting my eyes against the sudden sharp pain. Jesus, but taking a blow to an already injured area hurt.

"You humans are always so defiant and impetuous," the alien snarled back. "Why did you not listen when I explained I was no longer your enemy?"

His grip on my neck tightened as he spoke, preventing me from giving him an answer. In lieu of speech, I grabbed the Elite's fist with both hands in a rather futile attempt to keep my airway open; even in my oxygen-deprived state, I knew the Covie could easily crush my trachea if he wanted to. But strangely, he wasn't sending me off to an early grave at present. And that, my increasingly muddled brain reasoned, meant one of two things: he was either delaying my death for sport, or he wasn't planning on killing me at all.

For my part, I sincerely hoped it was the latter.

Luckily, just when I was starting to get tunnel vision from lack of oxygen, the Elite suddenly slackened his hold on my throat. Sucking in a lungful of air, I went into a brief coughing fit as the alien said, "I do not wish to kill you, human. This was only a warning--an act of self-defense, if you will." He paused and gave me a curious look. "For a young female, you certainly harbor a great deal of anger inside you."

I was about to choke out a terse reply when I realized someone was standing over us. After a moment I recognized the figure as Corporal Garian, and he had his MA5C aimed at the Elite's head.

"Get off her _now_, you alien bastard," my aide said in a cold, harsh tone. He didn't raise his voice, but it was powerful nonetheless. "The only reason I'm not blowing your brains out right here is because I'm under orders not to harm you. But don't think I won't if you try to strangle my company commander again."

The Elite looked at Garian with an indecipherable expression for just an instant before finally letting me go. "Very well. I believe your officer has learned a valuable lesson about the nature of this alliance. My people have agreed to work cooperatively with you humans, but do not think we will stand idle if you attempt to betray us."

As the Covie stepped back, Corporal Garian moved in to help me to my feet. With the Elite standing off to the side gazing warily at us, I whispered in a hoarse voice, "Garian, you better tell me what the hell is going on. You were _ordered_ not to kill an enemy combatant? And that thing seems to think we're supposed to be buddies?"

"I just found out from Major Phillips, ma'am, and I'm not too happy about it either," the corporal replied. But before I got a chance to ask what he was talking about, I heard the sound of an approaching Warthog. I turned around quickly, still holding a hand to my sore throat but feeling the throbbing in my chest gradually subside; of the two Marines in the vehicle, I saw that one of them was our battalion commander.

Coming up to the three of us, the driver of the Warthog halted the jeep and turned off the engine as Major Phillips stepped out. The major took only one look at the alien and I before a deep frown formed on his face. He spoke to the Elite first. "Atom, I apologize for this incident. Don't blame the captain, though. She has no knowledge of the, uh, diplomatic situation."

"Sir, all due respect, but will someone please tell me why we are associating with a member of the Covenant?" I asked, utterly astounded by what was happening.

Major Phillips sighed as he pulled me off to the side and faced me. "Cooper, I only learned of this when we landed here yesterday morning, and I decided it was too early to mention to the battalion at the briefing. But, since the three of you will be going on the mission tomorrow, you'd better know."

"Sir?"

"Through a series of events having to do with the internal structure of Covenant religion and politics, the Elites have officially broken off from the rest. They have chosen to join forces with humanity, and they will now help us end this long and horrible struggle."

"_What_?!" I cried, incredulous.

"I'll send the data packet to your datapad later, Cooper. That will explain all you need to know, as well as give you some background information on our...well, Elite friend over there."

I remained silent for a moment, my head whirling as I tried to piece together recent events. Now I knew why I hadn't noticed any Elites while out on patrol: they had distanced themselves from the other members of the Covenant. And now, all of a sudden, they wanted to come to the rescue of the very species they'd been shamelessly butchering since before I was even born. Somehow, it didn't seem to add up. _No_, I thought to myself. _No freaking way, not ever. I don't trust them, and I definitely won't work with them_. "Sir, all due respect, but you can't be serious. I won't ally with them, Major. All these years, they've mercilessly slaughtered my Marines, my friends, _my family_...They've kept my husband and I from our little two-year-old son!"

The major ran a hand through his dark brown hair. "I am well aware of that, Captain. But this information is coming down straight from High Command, and the UNSC forces here on Earth have already been working successfully with their Elite allies. Bottom line is, the alliance has turned the tide of our desperate battle for Earth--and this entire war--in our favor, Cooper, and humanity can't pass up its chance to live by keeping old grudges." He gave me a meaningful look straight in the eyes. "Captain, with the aide of the Elites, the Human-Covenant War could be over in a matter of months instead of years or decades. Humanity's future is not a certainty just yet, but we've obviously secured a better advantage than we could have ever hoped for."

I had to admit, the prospect of ending the war sooner--and having a far greater likelihood of a positive outcome for the human race--was a highly appealing notion. But right now, I was so shocked that everything was just going right over my head. "Sir? I think I...I'll need some time to digest all of this, Major."

Phillips nodded. "Of course, Cooper. Took me a while to get used to it myself, and honestly, I'm still not so sure about the whole thing." He glanced at the Covie, then at Corporal Garian, who were standing apart from both each other and the major and I. Turning back to face me, Major Phillips said, "Tell you what, Captain. You have about two more hours left on your perimeter duty, but I can get someone else to take your place. I'll let you and Corporal Garian off, so you'll have a chance to come to terms with all of this. Don't forget about the mission, though; there's still a lot you have to do to get ready, besides the mental preparation of having to work with an Elite on this one. And you'd better figure out your feelings fast, Marine, because you'll be breaking the news to Bravo Company at your company briefing at 0800. Understood, Captain?"

I simply stood there in a daze. "Y-yes, sir."

"All right. Well, come on, Cooper. Might as well meet the Covie you had your...disagreement with, huh?"

Reluctantly, I followed the major as we walked back to Garian and the Elite for introductions. All the while, I felt nothing but sick inside. The faces of my father, my older sister, Willis's baby brother, fellow Marines...they all flooded my head, as if silently screaming at me to fight back, to resist this alliance with the same creatures who had murdered every one of them without remorse. How could I put the past behind me when the Elites had been an integral part of the destructive force that was the Covenant? They had brought me and those I loved so much grief, so much _suffering_, and now I was supposed to play nice and pretend none of it had ever happened? Yeah, right.

_But maybe it's worth it_, a tiny part of me interjected. _To live, to finally bring a peaceful future to the humans who remain._

_For Gabriel._

"Cooper, Garian, meet Atalom 'Kuatee, apparently known around here as 'Atom'," Phillips said to the three of us as we looked at each other. "And Atom, this is Corporal Kaleb Garian and Captain Natalie Cooper of Bravo Company, 102nd Battalion. You'll see them again tomorrow morning at the captain's briefing."

None of us said so much as a word. Corporal Garian and I simply stood in front of the Elite, glaring at the alien with arms crossed over our chests. 'Kuatee seemed equally disgruntled.

Needless to say, we didn't shake hands.


	23. Chapter 22: An Unwelcome Alliance

Author's Note: Fluffalicious. Because after a week of calc and chem exams, I kinda just wanted to do it. ;-) As always, hope you enjoy and please please review! Peace.

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**Chapter Twenty-Two: An Unwelcome Alliance**

Willis was sitting cross-legged on the floor when I walked into my quarters some time later. After I'd been relieved of guard duty, I had returned to base feeling…a variety of emotions, really, but mostly anger and resentment. I realized immediately that that wasn't the kind of environment I wanted to subject my husband to, so I chose to keep my distance until I'd calmed down a bit.

In the hour I was gone, I had thoroughly taken apart and cleaned my malfunctioning rifle before taking a shower, stopping by the room only once to put away my gear and grab some fresh clothes. Thankfully, Willis had seemed to recognize the mood I was in at the time and didn't bother saying anything during my brief appearance. Now that I was finally squared away and far more relaxed, however, he decided to attempt a conversation. Or at least start with a greeting.

Looking up from the metal parts and paper maps laid out before him, Willis threw me a casual glance and said, "Hey."

"Hey," I echoed, stepping over his little project so I could go sit next to him. Once seated, I looked closely at all the pieces and realized they were parts of a disassembled S2-AM sniper rifle; the maps scattered around the weapon showed differing views of the mountain ridge and valley from Operation Everest.

"Spent most of the afternoon at the range," Willis commented when he noticed my gaze. "Then when I'd fired just about all the rounds I could handle, I came back here to study up. Started stripping down the rifle, too, as you can see. Gotta get it spotless if it's going to work right on the first try."

I nodded. "That's good. Learn much from the maps yet?"

He looked pensive. "I've been trying to calculate ranges, possible wind speed, average temperatures, that kind of thing. And so far, it's been going pretty well, actually. I think I might've even found a good location to take the shot, but that's subject to change upon arrival, of course."

"Sounds like you've got it all figured out."

"Yeah, mostly."

There was a momentary silence, and I got the feeling that he was waiting for me to explain what had upset me. I sighed and took in a subtle breath before I began.

"Willis?"

"Huh?"

"I found out about the Elites today. Now I know what you were trying to tell me in the mess earlier."

Carefully setting down the scope he was cleaning, Willis stopped working and focused his attention on me. "So…what do you think?" he asked tentatively.

"I suspect you know the answer to that."

A small grin formed on his face. "Let me guess. You're really pissed off, aren't you?"

"This isn't funny, Will, it's frustrating." I shook my head. "I read the files Major Phillips sent me, and I still can't make sense of any of it. How could HighCom accept an alliance with the Elites? I realize they could help us, probably even a lot, but how do we know they're not just going to turn around and stab us in the back? And besides, has everyone suddenly forgotten all the shit they've done to humanity for the past couple decades?"

My husband sighed. "Natalie, like it or not, we don't have much of a choice." He sat silently for a moment before looking me in the eyes. "You haven't been here since the beginning of the invasion, honey. Every day's been one fucking fight after the next, with no reprieve. Maybe we could have won this thing without the Elites' help, but it would've been a long shot at best--and it would've taken forever. Never thought I'd say this, but I think we're doing the right thing here, Coop."

For a good minute, I was too shocked to speak. Willis, of all people, couldn't possibly think an alliance with members of the Covenant was beneficial to the human race: the Covies were the ones who had killed his little brother, and I knew how much that death had affected him…how much it still did, seven years later.

Knowing the pain I would cause by mentioning Matthew explicitly, I refrained from saying anything about the younger Hawk and decided on an indirect approach instead.

"Will, even if you forget what they did to the rest of humanity and focused only on us personally, there's still a lot to condemn them for. They've kept us apart for the vast majority of our five-year marriage, they've killed tons of our friends and family, and they've pretty much kept us from living our lives. Christ, Willis, they've even kept us from our _child_. And if it weren't for them, we could've already started trying for another baby by now. So before you sing their undeserved praises, think about all that. I'm sure you can figure out why I don't like the idea."

Willis ran a hand over his short hair as he glanced down at the equipment strewn across the floor. "Believe me, Natalie, that same argument's been going through my mind since I found out, too. I hated the very concept at first, just like you, and part of it never really goes away. But I've had a chance to work with Atom once, Coop, and he's simply…amazing. I know he's a SpecOps Elite and all, but his skills in combat really are something else. Much as I don't like to admit it, having the Elites _with_ us is a damn good thing." My husband turned to face me once again and, noticing my dejected expression, he reached for my hand. "Trust me, Natalie. Just give it some time, and you'll see what I mean."

All of a sudden, I felt defeated somehow. If Willis approved of our enemies-turned-friendlies, then I knew for certain that they had to be more than acceptable. Funny thing was, I still felt like I should be adamantly opposed to joining forces with former human-killers. "Will, how can we fight alongside them, knowing what they've done?"

Sighing for a second time, he answered, "Well, you can start by realizing the formidable allies they make. Coop, with the Elites on our side, this war's going to come to an end much sooner than we thought. And do you know what that means?"

"Hopefully, it means our species won't become extinct."

He smiled. "I meant for us. We'll finally have our life back, Natalie. We'll be able to get a house on Mars for me, you, and Gabe to live in, have another kid, go on our long-overdue honeymoon, and do all the other stuff the war has prevented us from doing all these years. And no more having to fear where or when the next attack will be, because_ it will all be over_." He looked at me to gauge my reaction. "So does this alliance still sound incredibly awful to you?"

"Well, when you put it that way..." I sighed, wondering how he always managed to be so damn convincing. "Then no, I guess not."

My husband grinned. "That's my girl."

Willis suddenly moved closer, wrapping his arms around me now that he saw my resistance begin to fade. I slowly leaned into his embrace and rested my head against his chest, thinking how lucky I was to have him here. Sometimes it was nice to be reassured, to feel safe and protected, to know someone was looking out for you...even if only for a fleeting moment. And Willis had always been that person for me.

"Don't worry, Cooper. We'll be all right," he said softly. "Gabriel is being taken care of, and for us it's just a few more months of fighting--maybe a year, tops. After that, we're home free."

He always seemed to know the right words to say to put me at ease. But the only thing he never mentioned was the very real possibility that one of us--or perhaps both--wouldn't ever make it to the end.


	24. Chapter 23: Into the Cold Dark Night 1

Author's Note: Completely rewritten. And if you had the misfortune of reading the former Ch. 23, then you know why. ;-) Hope this is a little better, and feedback would be very awesome. Reviews are always much appreciated and loved. Peace!

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Chapter Twenty-Three: Into the Cold Dark Night, Part One**

**0359 Hours, September 28, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Helljumper," Planet Earth. Day Forty-Nine of the Invasion of Earth**

When we left Foxtrot Base two days later at 0330 hours, Bravo Company and I could already hear the sounds of battle in the distance.

Of course, I had known going into this that we would face heavy resistance along our path to the mountain ridge, which was why Major Phillips had allowed for extra time in his planning for Operation Everest. What I hadn't counted on, however, was for the shit to hit the fan just five klicks out from our base in Lienz.

It all started with a simple transmission.

"Captain Cooper?" Lieutenant Dean Lewis's voice suddenly crackled over my helmet's radio. The junior officer and his third platoon were currently leading Bravo Company through the fields and streets of small-town Austria; I was following behind with second platoon, and I had Willis in the rear with first, my former platoon. My husband hadn't liked the idea of separation at first, but he eventually realized that it would enable both of us to focus on our respective tasks without having to worry about each other's immediate safety.

I also kept our newfound Elite "friend", Atalom 'Kuatee, with me during the march. Ever since my conversation with Willis, I'd felt a little more at ease with the idea of having the Elites as our allies, but that didn't mean I trusted them entirely. Unfortunately for Atom, that same sentiment rippled throughout the company once I'd told them of the situation, and there seemed to be a great deal of unspoken tension in the air as a result. So, to maintain the momentary peace between my Marines and our Elite ally, I kept 'Kuatee nearby so I could keep a watchful eye on him.

Returning from my musings while second platoon marched along, I instinctively gripped my battle rifle tighter as I finally replied to my executive officer's call. "This is Cooper. Go ahead, Dean. Tell me whatcha got for me."

"I've just received a distress call from up ahead, ma'am, approximately three klicks north. And oddly, it happens to sound a lot like the fellow we met in Cote D'Azur."

"Huh? Which one?"

"Some German name I can't remember. Hold on a moment, Captain, if you will. I'll relay his message through your audio pickup."

Empty static filled the COM channel for a few seconds, and I used the moment to look out at second platoon's flanks. A chilly early morning breeze had been blowing since we'd departed, causing the vegetation around us to sway and cast eerie shadows in my green-hued night vision. I guess that should have been the first tip-off that what was to come wouldn't be anything good. Before I had a chance to think on the situation much longer, though, the sound-only recording finally began.

"This is Cap…(static)…Henry Schaeffer, XO of the 21st ODST Battalion, requesting…(static)… immediate reinforcements! Covenant attacking on our front…(static)…half-strength…(static)…commanding officer's dead…(static)…heading for…(static)… --trot Base in Lienz. Any UNSC forces nearby please respond!"

I went cold inside instantly, despite the fact that I was fully covered in heavy winter battledress, armor, helmet, and gloves. We'd always known that the Covenant were just beyond the gates of our base, but I didn't think they'd been _that_ close all along. And if it was an entire battalion of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers asking for help, then that meant there were way more Covies out here than we had previously thought. We had to get to the Helljumpers, and fast; after all, they'd been the ones to rescue us in our time of need, and so this was our chance to return the favor.

"Orders, ma'am?" Lieutenant Lewis asked after a slight pause.

"We need to inform Major Phillips right away, Dean," I answered quickly. "If the Covenant are heading for base and they manage to take it over, Bravo's going to be cut off and surrounded in no time. And I don't think I need to remind you what it was like the last time that happened, Lieutenant." The fierce struggle for survival in Cote D'Azur was impossible to forget, and most of it had occurred because Bravo Company had been out of contact with friendly forces. Needless to say, I wanted to avoid a repeat at all costs.

Lewis hesitated a moment before speaking again. "And the Helljumpers, ma'am?"

"We're going to help 'em, Dean. Start heading towards their last known position, and radio Base. Let--"

"Captain!" First Lieutenant Zackary Samson suddenly cried, cutting into my communication with Dean through the priority channel.

"What's going on, Zack?" I demanded, wondering why his voice sounded so panicked. But even as I asked the question, I began to hear the familiar shrill screaming of incoming Covenant--

"Banshees!"

Lieutenant Samson finished my thoughts with his exclamation. Without even consciously thinking about it, I immediately turned around and looked up at the starry sky to get a fix on the enemy aircraft. From where I stood in the middle of the field, I could see at least four bluish-white streaks of exhaust in the air.

_Shit._

I didn't waste anymore time sightseeing. Those alien ships were coming in hot, banking fast towards Bravo's six--and that meant Willis and first platoon.

"Bravo Company, this is Captain Cooper!" I yelled into the company-wide COM channel. Motioning for second platoon to follow me, I started running in the direction of the nearby houses and trees for cover as I spoke. "Get the hell outta the grass and find some cover!"

Acknowledgment lights winked on my HUD within seconds…and that's exactly how long it took for the first boiling lances of plasma to hit.

The lead alien Banshee came hurtling in low, making the ground beneath my boots quake while I continued to sprint for a safer position. I could feel the heat of its weapons as plasma cannon rounds struck the sides of homes around us and the grass we ran through; apparently it had been a dry autumn this season, because small fires were beginning to ignite everywhere. With our surroundings suddenly glowing bright green in night vision, it was getting awfully hard to see.

Somehow, I still managed to spot what looked like a promising ditch on the side of the road. Making a mad dash for it before the next Banshee appeared, I heard a sucking sound as my combat boots went from grass to pavement to sticky mud. I had to jerk my leg out of the muck hard in order to keep moving; the stuff was thick as quicksand, and just as deadly when you realized that it could easily make you a stationary target.

Finally reaching the top of the ditch with Atom and several Marines in tow, I jumped directly into the irrigation canal's soppy center. Stagnant old water splashed on my uniform and mud flew all the way up to my battledress jacket, but I hardly even noticed in my haste to find cover under a low stone bridge. When the second Banshee of the group announced its arrival with weapons fire and a _whoosh_ing sound, all I cared about was keeping my company and myself alive…not how much the bill at the laundromat was going to cost me if we made it out.

I crouched into the mucky middle without hesitation, and the Marines with me hurriedly followed suit. Now up to our knees in mud, the eight or so members of second platoon and I crawled under the narrow bridge as enemy fire continued to rain down on our somewhat exposed area.

_Just ride it out_, I told myself as I held onto my helmet with one hand and clutched my rifle in the other. _You've done this a million times before, Cooper, and you know the drill by now. Just gotta ride it out_...

"Platoons!" I said into the COM channel once the purple aircraft had flown by. "Status, now!"

"Lieutenant Frederick, ma'am!" second platoon's leader replied, sounding out of breath. "Four wounded, no dead, Captain."

"Lewis here! Got a few nasty burns, ma'am, but we made it to the houses in time."

"First platoon, let's have it," I said, glad to hear that most of the company had made out all right. Still, Lieutenant Samson's delay was starting to worry me.

The platoon leader let out a heavy sigh before answering. "Doc Reynolds reports two dead, three wounded so far, Captain."

I paused, unsure if I should ask about Willis explicitly or not. As a leader, I knew I was supposed to care equally for the welfare of all my Marines, and normally I did. But dammit, the fact that I didn't know if _he'd_ been one of the casualties was killing me more than anything. "Zack, what about--"

"Fine, ma'am. Your flyboy may not be used to fighting the bastards on the ground, but he's definitely a fast learner."

It took a lot of self-control to keep from breathing a sigh of relief--even if Willis was ok, two of my Marines were still dead. "Right. Thank you, Lieutenant."

"Ma'am! The remaining two Banshees are banking for us!" Frederick exclaimed.

"Heads down, Bravo Company! This isn't over yet!" I said. _Jesus, I really wish we had rockets with us_, I thought as I hugged the black mud, feeling utterly helpless. _After this next pass, we have to get moving again or we're going to end up making our graves here._

Twin Banshee cannons were loosed over my company and I, and this time the rounds hit much closer to home. Dirt, grass, and asphalt mixed with pieces of rock when they exploded outward from the plasma blasts, further soiling our uniforms and slamming into our armor plates. The only difference this time was that I could not only hear the debris ping off my armor, but I could actually _feel_ it; the enemy pilots were getting better at their strafing runs, and I knew the next one could be their golden ticket.

I wasn't going to let it happen, not to my Bravo Company. Not to my Marines.

_But we've got four Banshees circling us like vultures, and no heavy weapons. We're stuck._

"Willis!" I cried into a private channel as the Banshees continued screaming overhead. "Where the hell are your buddies with air support!"

"I don't know!" came the terse reply. "In case you haven't noticed, honey, we're a little low on pilots!"

"Don't tell me you and Drake were the only ones out here?"

Even as I spoke, however, the Banshees finally started to bank away. Realizing that all four of them would be around for another pass in just a few moments, I quickly got to my feet and climbed out of the dark slop that had turned my fresh uniform into a soggy hell.

"Second platoon, get your asses in gear!" I ordered. "If you want to live, we're going to have to high-tail it out _fast_, Marines!"

"What are you proposing we do, human?" 'Kuatee asked as he emerged from under the bridge. Shaking off large chunks of dirt from the end of his carbine's barrel, the Elite stood to his full height and approached me. "You cannot outrun our aircraft on foot."

I tilted my faceplate at him, annoyed that he was taking up the precious few seconds we had to escape. "We head for the Marine battalion that tried hailing us, by way of the forest. Whatever problems they've got, at least they don't have the whole Covie air force on their ass!"

Quickly opening a new channel as I started running towards first platoon with second following behind, I keyed my mike and said, "Lewis! Get your men moving and lead us to the Helljumpers. And make sure to go through the trees so we don't have Banshees trailing, Lieutenant."

"Understood, ma'am!" I could hear my best friend breathing heavy as he began sprinting through the field.

We managed to run for three whole minutes without a single sound coming from the sky, and that was making me nervous. Why would the Covenant let us go like that, when they'd literally had us stuck in the mud? _Something else must be going on_, I reasoned.

And, as if on cue, that's when a completely different noise came from up above--opposite the direction of the four Banshees. Willis, with his ear for aircraft engines, was the first to recognize the rumble.

"Natalie, those are Pelicans inbound!" my husband said excitedly through our private channel. He paused for only a second, and his next words sounded incredibly smug. "There's the answer to your question, Coop."

"It's about friggin' time your boys show up, Will," I replied, grinning briefly inside my helmet. I didn't have time to enjoy the moment, however, because this didn't necessarily guarantee our survival; we had to keep moving if we were to save both the ODSTs and ourselves.

"Ma'am, Lewis," the lieutenant said over my radio. "We've entered the forest, Captain, and we can hear at least three Pelicans flying above us. I think that'll be the last we see of those Banshees, ma'am."

"Good news, Dean, but don't let your guard down--you know anything can happen. For now, just keep pressing forward and let's go help those troopers, Lieutenant."

"Yes, ma'am."

I cut the connection to my XO, then opened a company-wide channel. "Bravo, now that we've got some friendly support in the skies, we're going to be taking a slight detour on our way to the ridge. We're still about ten klicks out from the base of the mountain, but we have received a call for reinforcements from the ODST battalion that saved our asses on Sigma Octanus. We won't let 'em take the heat alone, Marines, not after what they did for us."

"Oorah!" came the resounding answer across tens of channels.

"That's what I like to hear, Bravo," I said. "Now let's move."


	25. Chapter 24: Into the Cold Dark Night 2

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Into the Cold Dark Night, Part Two**

**0417 Hours, September 28, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Two Brutes," Planet Earth. Day Forty-Nine of the Invasion of Earth**

Hiking through a small forest as the early morning wore on, Bravo Company and I made our way quickly and quietly towards the 21st ODST Battalion's location. Now that we were less than a kilometer away, I could hear the sounds of a Scorpion Main Battle Tank's cannon firing its 90mm shells at some unseen target. I had a feeling we were about to arrive right in the middle of a heated fight, and so I was thankful that at the very least, we were no longer being trailed by enemy air support.

"Bravo Company, stay sharp," I ordered over the COM channel, keeping my voice low despite the fact that I was speaking inside my sealed helmet. "We're almost there, and it looks like they've started the party without us."

I waited for acknowledgments, then opened a private channel to second and third platoon's COs. "Frederick?"

"Yes, ma'am?" the young lieutenant answered promptly.

"I'm going to be moving up to third platoon's position, so I can assess the situation up ahead before we jump into the fray. Dean, tell your Marines that Atom and I'll be coming up on their six. I don't want any accidental bullet holes in my chest armor. Or his."

"Yes, Captain," Lewis replied.

"Good. Cooper out," I finished, quickly cutting the connection. Turning to face 'Kuatee, who was marching silently beside me, I gave him a nudge and said, "You're with me, alien boy. Let's move."

The Elite scowled at me, clearly unimpressed by the new nickname I'd bestowed upon him. "It is insulting enough that you humans insist on shortening my name to that of the tiniest particle of matter. But to strip me of my rightfully and honorably earned name _entirely_…" He lifted his carbine ever so slightly as he moved to follow me, giving me a look of pure loathing. "You walk a very thin line with my race and I, Captain. Others would not have been so tolerant as I."

Feeling horribly uncomfortable in my soggy socks and muddy boots, I grimaced while walking. "Yeah, well, you don't call me by my name, either," I retorted. "Ever think of that?"

Atalom 'Kuatee scoffed as we began to advance beyond second platoon's line of sight. "You are still but a child, human. You are yet undeserving of such a high distinction."

"I'm twenty-five years old, Atom. I don't know about you guys, but for humans I'm hardly a kid anymore--got one of my own, in fact. And just to let you know, I've more than fucking earned my name."

It took me a moment to realize what I'd let slip.

_Oh, God, _I thought to myself._ Please tell me I didn't mention my son to a former Covenant soldier. And one who happens to be _this_ close to hating my guts, no less._

"You have an offspring with the pilot?" the Elite said in surprise. When I didn't reply, he asked, "He _is_ your mate, is he not?"

I whipped around fast, jabbing a gloved finger right at the alien's chestplate. "If you so much as twitch the wrong way when you're near him, I'll empty this whole clip into your head without hesitation, Atom. He may trust you, but I sure as hell don't." _Well, not completely, anyway._

Turning back in the direction of third platoon, I could've sworn I heard a hint of amusement in 'Kuatee's voice when he responded.

"Yes, he is most definitely your mate," Atom confirmed. "Though I do not understand--"

The Elite never got to finish what he was going to say, as several lances of pink crystal suddenly came tearing through the brush on our right. Instantly diving for the ground, I glanced over at Atom from my prone position, thinking he was done for with all those needles coming at him. But when the rounds impacted his armor, they simply caused it to shimmer with a translucent shielding of some kind. The enemy needles bounced off and burst harmlessly, save for draining a bit of his shield's energy. _Damn, wish the UNSC gave _us_ some of that stuff_, I thought.

But now wasn't the time to get distracted by wishful thinking.

Quickly holding my weapon to bear in the direction of the shots, I squeezed the trigger of my battle rifle and loosed two three-round bursts into the greenish darkness. I was immediately rewarded with several high-pitched yelps, but whether I'd actually managed to hit the Grunts or only frighten them was anyone's guess.

Checking my motion tracker as I crawled forward to investigate, I saw the sensor on my HUD gradually light up with more red dots the further I went. By the time I could actually see one of the Grunts with my night vision-enhanced eyes, there were eleven separate blips on my display.

"Atom, move up behind me," I whispered, aiming the barrel of my BR55 battle rifle at the Grunt in front of me and firing a single burst into its stomach. The small alien's abdomen ripped open as a trio of bullets went through him, and bright blood erupted like a broken fountain from its middle. The Grunt didn't even have a chance to make any noise as its guts spilled out onto the grass; he was dead before he hit the ground.

While I was glad that I finally had a confirmed kill, the report and muzzle flash from my rifle allowed the rest of the group to pinpoint my position in the brush. A hail of needles and charged plasma bolts quickly filled the air around me, puffing up chunks of dirt as the enemy rounds burned and sliced the surrounding foliage. I kept myself as low as possible the whole time, trying to crawl beneath the thick blanket of Covenant small-arms fire to a better position to shoot back.

In the meantime, I could hear Atom letting loose with his carbine, injecting even more boiling plasma into the area. I watched for just a moment as he dropped three Grunts in quick succession, then got up to a kneeling position and pulled what looked like a malformed boomerang from a pouch on his belt. Though I was curious to see what the object was, I was too busy providing the Elite with cover fire at the moment to find out.

"Captain, what is going on?" Lieutenant Dean Lewis's voice suddenly filled my helmet while I dispatched a couple more Grunts. Noticing that I wasn't responding to his call, my best friend became much more urgent on his next attempt. "Captain!"

"Wait one, Lewis," I replied curtly.

I continued to pull the trigger of my weapon even during the short transmission, this time bringing down an unshielded Jackal before I realized two more were headed for me. _Crap, time to get moving_, I thought when the volume of fire coming my way began increasing again.

"All due respect, ma'am, but I can hear the engagement even without my helmet's amplified pickup. And not only that, Captain, but we've got a nasty little situation up ahead, as well. There is a Scorpion tank here that is being blown to bloody scraps by two Ghosts and an enemy Wraith, ma'am."

"Be there in a sec, Dean. Just stay out of it for now, and wait for me before you continue forward."

I fired at a second Jackal during our brief conversation, barely managing to roll out of the way as the alien used its last second of life to send an overcharged plasma round at my face. Completing the roll, I breathed a small sigh of relief as soon as I'd dodged the alien round. After Heath, I knew exactly what kind of damage those often-lethal bolts could do, and a month in an intensive care unit wasn't an event I was itching to relive.

Once I took out the Jackal, I glanced to my left at 'Kuatee to see how he was faring. The Elite now had his carbine slung across his back, and he was using a plasma sword instead to slice and dice his opponents. Although I would never admit it to him, I was pretty amazed at the alien's combat skills: three slashed and bleeding corpses lay in the grass behind Atom as he moved swiftly onto the next target.

Damn. Willis sure wasn't kidding when he said Atalom was an excellent fighter.

Even so, I knew I had to concentrate on the Covies before me rather than 'Kuatee's actions.

I was still firing off my battle rifle and keeping an eye on my motion tracker when a geyser of dirt, grass, and various plant parts suddenly exploded to my right; my sensor showed that there was only one Covie left now, and I figured it must be the patrol's leader. Experience told me it was an Elite, but then I remembered that that couldn't be the case any longer--and that left only a Brute as the probable suspect. As I rose slowly to a crouched postion and moved forward through the foliage, Atom confirmed my suspicion.

"I suggest you exercise extreme caution, Captain. The Jiralhanae is carrying its dealiest weapon," Atalom 'Kuatee warned.

"The wha--?" I began to ask, but my inquiry was interrupted by the _whoosh_ of an incoming grenade.

Throwing myself to the ground for the third time this morning, I wrapped my arms around my helmet and waited for the wave of heat and shrapnel to wash over me. When it was finally over, I thanked God I was still alive and quickly jumped back to my feet.

Because the Brute's grenade had torn through the brush in front of me, I could now see where the Covenant warrior was hiding out clearly. Running for the huge beast before it could spot me, I aimed down the sights of my gun and pulled the trigger three times.

The first set of bullets hit the Brute on his left shoulder, blowing off a chunk of dark brown flesh with a spray of violet blood. Burst number two pierced the alien's thick hide just below its torso, and this time he let out a loud, pained roar as he fixed his attention on me. I could see the fury in its eyes flare up just before my third burst cracked the Brute's chestplate.

The combined nine rounds should have killed him, or at least incapacitated the alien to allow me to deliver the coup de grace. But unfortunately for Atom and I, all we had now was a wounded and very pissed off Covie.

Looking me dead in the eye with rage written across its face, the Brute chucked its Brute shot and revealed a second weapon instead, a spiker. I tried firing my rifle at it a fourth and final time, but my clip had suddenly run dry.

_Dammit!_ I thought frantically to myself. _Why the hell does this always happen to me?_

But there was no time to contemplate the fairness of my fate. Standing before a furious Brute with a spiker leveled at my head, I ducked below its first salvo of rounds while Atalom snuck up behind him. It was only as the Elite drove its white-blue blade clear through the Brute's back that the Covie's trigger finger twitched again.

I was too close to the Brute to avoid the short burst. Thankfully, most of the spikes went wide because of the way the Brute fell when he died, but four ended up coming right at my helmet. Three of the enemy rounds struck the hard exterior of my helmet's shell, knocking me to the ground with my head spinning.

The fourth, however, actually broke through my visor where it opened at the bottom, and I let out a scream as the sharp spike wedged itself into my cheek.

My COM channel to Lewis must've still been open, because I heard his panicked voice call out "_Cooper!_" almost instantly.

Taking in ragged breaths and pressing a hand to my jaw, I could taste copper in my mouth as my wound started to bleed profusely. I involuntarily swallowed some of the blood and nearly gagged before 'Kuatee arrived at my side.

"Foolish, _idiot_ human! Rushing a Jiralhanae in such a reckless manner!" the Elite spat. And then, without warning, he roughly pulled my helmet off my head and jerked the spike out of my cheek.

An awful, searing pain shot through my wound in a flash, and an agonized groan escaped me despite my efforts to contain it. "Jesus_ Christ_, Atom..." I rasped, suddenly breathing hard in both pain and astonishment.

Far from being sympathetic, the Elite simply snorted in disgust. "Do not invoke the name of your deity, Cooper. This is your fault and yours alone. Now get up. The Jiralhanae is dead, but we must continue on to your third platoon." He stuck out his hand to help me up.

"I'm...going to fucking kill you one day, Atom," I growled as I grabbed his hand and let him haul me to my feet. Holding one of my hands against my cheek to slow the flow of blood, I managed to ask, "And what the hell is a jury Hawaii?"

"I believe you humans call them 'Brutes.'"

I shut my eyes momentarily against the throbbing on the left side of my face, feeling warm blood ooze slowly through my gloved fingertips; I didn't reply to 'Kuatee's statement, but bent down to pick up my discarded rifle instead. Slinging the weapon on my shoulder once I'd slapped in a fresh clip, I looked over at Atalom. "Gimme my helmet back, alien boy. Dean is probably placing the company on some kind of red alert, so I need to talk to him before this gets out of hand."

"You realize it will not offer you much protection now, yes?" The Elite said as he handed the item over. "The faceplate is cracked where the spike went through, and the top of the left side is dented from the others."

I snorted. "Yeah, well, we don't exactly have a supply depot here. It'll have to be enough."

I tapped the side of my helmet with my hand as I spoke, surprised--and more than a little relieved--to find that it was still in working order. I quickly radioed Lieutenant Lewis and informed him that I was ok, then motioned to 'Kuatee to get moving. We were fairly close to third platoon's position now, but I didn't want to get ambushed by another roving Covenant patrol; after all, this skirmish hadn't gone so well for me, I decided as I rubbed my sore spot through the helmet.

_And there's yet another scar I'll have to get removed, _I thought. I couldn't wait to get to third's medic so she could patch up my cheek; the seeping blood was making my face itchy.

Fortunately for the Elite and I, the remainder of our silent march to third platoon was uneventful. We reached the platoon's rear about ten minutes later, and once Petty Officer First Class Erika Calden had fixed up the side of my face, I ordered third to forge ahead once more. The subtle rumbling of the Scorpion tank was gradually getting louder, so I figured we were finally near the distressed Helljumpers' lines.

The sudden explosion of a Covenant mortar round unceremoniously assured me I was right.

"Never far from trouble, are ya, Captain?" Second Lieutenant Laura Hillburn cried above the noise.

"Just like old times, El-Tee," I hollered back.

As third platoon emerged rapidly from the forest through a hail of Wraith tank blasts, a desolate scene greeted us all.

Old mountain homes lay in various piles of rubble and debris, their stony facades reduced to a fine sand from the constant Covenant bombardment. On the few buildings that had somehow escaped total destruction, harsh black scorch marks and holes peppered the structures. The situation reminded me almost instantly of first platoon's approach to Cote D'Azur, except mercifully, there were no dead and dying civvies to handle; a month and a half into the invasion, the civilians that had once lived here were long gone by now...one way or another.

"If you feel like heaving, Hillburn, make sure you don't do it in my direction," I joked to my former platoon XO as she ran up beside me.

The young officer quickly shook her head. "No, ma'am," she replied. "Got it all outta my system on Sigma Octanus, Captain."

"Incoming mortars, third platoon!" Lieutenant Lewis suddenly bellowed through the COM. "Everyone get your bloody heads down, _now_!"

Hillburn, Atom, and I lunged into the grass just after Lewis's transmission ended, gripping our helmets and weapons at the same time. A huge sphere of blue plasma came hurtling to third platoon's area seconds later, and for a terrifying moment I thought we were finished. Through some error in the shot's trajectory, however, third was spared as the massive round landed short of its target. Lying prone in the grass, I waited until the ground stopped vibrating before I stood up again.

"Third platoon, this is Captain Cooper! Head for those fortified positions behind that farmhouse while they recharge!" I ordered over the company channel. "The rest of Bravo, be advised: enemy armor as soon as you exit the forest. If you're at a safe distance, stay put. If you're not, then come after third platoon when it's clear. Is that understood, Marines?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Bravo Company chorused.

"Then let's do this, Bravo. Lewis, _move_!"

My best friend's platoon followed right on his heels as Dean sprinted for what I assumed was the 21st Battalion's hideout. I kept stealing glances at the Covie Wraith as I ran through the open field, trying to gauge how long it would take for it to be able to fire again. If the tank regained function now that third was halfway to the farmhouse, we were cooked.

_Kaboom!_

I almost lost my footing as our friendly Scorpion tank suddenly came into view and loosed a cannon round at the Wraith. While both of the armored vehicles were smoking from close calls, the UNSC tank certainly looked the worse for wear; judging by the two destroyed Ghosts on the far side of the field and the small fire glowing in the back hatch, the Scorpion had already done its share of fighting for today.

"Keep moving, third platoon!" Lewis yelled into the COM channel. But the two tanks had begun duking it out once more, leaving my company and I relatively unnoticed.

"Captain Schaeffer, this is Captain Cooper of the 603rd," I said on the general channel, trying to hail the ODST's acting commander before we reached their lines. The last thing I wanted at this point was an ugly friendly fire accident. "Please respond."

The excited reply came a moment later. "Captain, this is Schaeffer. Holy shit, Cooper, is that really you? I don't fucking believe it!"

Even with a painful wound and a tank battle going on around us, I couldn't help but grin. "Told you I'd return the favor some day, trooper. So I'm making good on my promise."

"I'll say! This is definitely a helluva coincidence, Cooper."

"Yeah, Schaeffer. Listen, we'll have time to talk later, but right now we're busy trying not to die out here!"

"Right! Let's hope those tank boys can take out that Wraith, and then maybe we'll finally get a breather!"

As we spoke, several more enemy mortars made it past the Scorpion tank before third platoon and I were able to reach the Helljumpers. That meant a lot of trips and hard falls along the way, but my Marines and I kept going until we made it.

Looking out across the field with my rifle's scope from behind a pile of sandbags, I could see the UNSC tank was just about finished. _Come on, you guys_, I pleaded, trying to get my breathing under control after the long sprint. _Take the bastards with you. Don't let 'em slaughter you for nothing._

_Kaboom! _

_Shoop!_

Third platoon and I watched in helpless horror as both tanks fired at each other at the same moment. Standing transfixed beside me, Atalom 'Kuatee gasped when the two huge rounds each hit their intended targets.

The Scorpion tank exploded first, sending a large column of black smoke swirling into the night sky. My Marines and I held our collective breath after that, waiting to see if the Wraith would turn on us or if it had been damaged in the battle as well. They were the longest milliseconds of our lives, but they were worth it: not a second later, the Covenant tank burst into a bright blue cloud filled with purple metal.

I heaved a long sigh of relief, then opened a COM channel to my company. "Enemy Wraith tank neutralized, Bravo. Advance forward to this position, which I'll be marking on your HUDs momentarily." Placing a highlighted marker on their maps, I sent third platoon's position to the other Marines of Bravo so they could join us. While I waited for them to arrive, I asked one of the nearby Helljumpers to direct me to Captain Henry Schaeffer.

Dressed in black and dark gray battledress and armor, the ODST blended in perfectly with his surroundings; even up close, it would have been difficult to see much more than his outline without night vision. "Good to see you again, Captain Cooper," the captain said. We shook hands, and then he gestured broadly at the piles of sandbags that made up the barely camouflaged encampment. "Well, here's our base of operations, as you can see. Not much, but it does the trick. And now that we've got at least a few minutes of peace, I can show you around if you want."

Hefting my battle rifle in my right hand as I checked its load, I said, "All right, Schaeffer. But do me a favor and cut the act. You sent out a pretty desperate-sounding transmission earlier, and I know you wouldn't do that for no reason." I lifted my visor and gave him a look. "What's really going on here, Captain?"

Schaeffer squirmed uncomfortably for a second before he raised his own faceplate. Suddenly staring at me with a look of exhaustion and defeat in his deep blue eyes, I had to glance away after a moment; his expression reminded me of the last harrowing days we'd fought together in the battle of Cote D'Azur--an event I'd been trying to forget for months.

Finally, the captain sighed and said, "We've been on Earth for about two weeks now, Cooper, and we've already spent about ten days in and around whatever small town this is." He offered me a rueful smile. "We like to call it Hell. Fondly though, of course."

I smirked as I folded my arms across my chest. "Of course."

"Anyway, been here ten days, like I said, and the Covies haven't let up their attacks _at all_. It's just been Banshees and Ghosts and Wraiths and all sorts of crazy shit coming at us nonstop. We were down to half-strength as of this morning, and Major Andreas was killed a couple days ago, too." Henry paused and shook his head, lowering his gaze to his boots. "Till that Scorpion tank showed up, we hadn't received any aid from anyone. And nothing but pure luck brought you our way." The Helljumper looked up at me again. "I honestly have no idea why the Covenant want this place so damn bad."

"Any ideas? There's gotta be something valuable about this town for them to fight this hard over it."

Schaeffer nodded. "Don't I know it. But I just can't think of a single thing they'd want here." He looked pensive for a moment. "Though there is something strange over there that--"

"Natalie!"

I turned around quickly at the sound of my name...especially since I knew exactly who the voice belonged to.

Lifting his faceplate as he approached, Willis grinned at me. "Glad to see you're in one piece, Coop. When Lewis told us you took a hit..." My husband suddenly trailed off when he noticed my cracked visor and the bloody bandage covering my cheek. "Natalie, what happened to you?" he asked, his voice flooded with concern.

While Willis was busy fretting over me, I noticed Captain Schaeffer eyeing us with confusion. "Will, I'm fine, and I'm really happy to see you're ok, too. But you are breaching about a million regs right now, Lieutenant."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry, ma'am."

The Helljumper stepped forward then. "Who're you, Marine?" he asked Willis.

"First Lieutenant William Hawk, sir. Captain Cooper is my wife."

"Huh." Captain Schaeffer gave me a questioning look, and I shrugged.

"Long story," I said simply.

"Yeah, and if there's one thing we don't usually have time for around here, it's catching up," Schaeffer replied. "So, Cooper, what I was saying earlier..."

"What is it, Schaeffer?"

He frowned. "Well, I guess it's easier if I show it to you. Then you can see if you can make any sense of it, 'cause we sure can't." The captain motioned towards 'Kuatee, who was hovering nearby. "Bring him along, too. Maybe he'll know a little more than we do."

I nodded, calling the Elite over as Schaeffer, Willis, and I set off. It didn't take me long to realize that the ODST was leading us back into the forest, just ahead and to the right of the lines.

"Covies apparently found this a day or so after we got here, and they've tripled the size of their attacks since then," the captain explained. "Therefore, I'm willing to bet it's something real important to 'em."

We followed Captain Schaeffer about thirty meters into the trees before he came to a halt in front of a large pile of decomposing matter. The stench was horrible.

"Damn, sir. This your little science project?" Willis asked, pinching his nose and grimacing to make his point.

"No, Lieutenant. Don't know what the hell it is, really. Sure looks funny if you ask me, though."

The body was badly decomposed after so many days, but as I glanced at it, I found the corpse to be vaguely familiar in shape.

"Seems almost like a Brute to me," I said. "Except it's a cream-gray color and it's chest is..."

"Uh, missing?" Willis supplied.

"Well...yeah."

Without consciously thinking about it, the three of us suddenly turned to 'Kuatee for his assessment. And much to our surprise and alarm, the SpecOps Elite looked...

Scared.

"Atom, what the hell is this thing?" I asked slowly.

Atalom looked deliberately around our small circle at each of us, his expression grave as he reluctantly answered.

"It is the parasite, humans. The doom of all the species in the galaxy."


	26. Chapter 25: Flood vs Covies vs Humanity

Author's Note: Ok, so I just wanted to reply to a couple of the anonymous reviews sent by eg and reviewer real quick.

I realize that my Elite character may have seemed a bit weak in Ch. 20, but if you'd continued to read into the subsequent chapters I think you'd find that he's not feeble or submissive at all. The only reason he wasn't up to strength in that chapter was because he'd been caught in an explosion, and the scene at the end seemed like a good way to make 'Kuatee's first meeting with my lead character dramatic and telling. Also, much as I came to like the Elites when the Arbiter was introduced in Halo 2 (he's badass), and much as I know how tough they are, I don't believe they're completely infallible as you would like to make them out to be. They may be a good match for Spartans, but as we've read in the books, even Spartans are killed and wounded in battle at some point. Elites are no different in that respect. And as far as the humans go, I don't think Cooper overreacted too much. You have to remember that the Covenant have been slaughtering human beings by the billions for over a quarter century, and many humans have lost their entire families, planets, comrades, and friends by the hands of the Covenant. I think that after being enemies for so long, and given all the heinous actions the Covenant have committed against humanity since instigating the war, any human would be rightfully pissed off at the aliens--even to the point of so-called "savagery."

So I think you judged my characterization of Elites a little prematurely, and perhaps also underestimated what effects the 28-year Human-Covenant War has had on the collective human psyche. But then again, that's just what I think, and I could be wrong. And you are, of course, entitled to your opinion regardless.

Anyway, note to the rest of my readers: This will unfortunately be the last update for the next 2-3 weeks. Have a lot of major essays and exams coming up that need my undivided attention for a while. I _might_ be able to squeeze something in between there, but we'll see how it goes.

I know this chapter's kinda short, but I hope you'll still enjoy it. And please please please leave reviews! ;-)

**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Flood vs. the Covenant vs. Humanity**

**0449 Hours, September 28, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Infection," Planet Earth. Day Forty-Nine of the Invasion of Earth**

Even after Atalom 'Kuatee had answered, the three of us continued to stare at him in silent question nonetheless.

_Parasite?_ I thought to myself, lowering my gaze to the mangled Brute corpse. _What the hell kind of parasite creeps out a fearless Elite warrior?_ I wondered. Poking at the body absently with the barrel of my battle rifle, I furrowed my brow and frowned. _And the whole "doom of the galaxy" thing sure doesn't sound good, either…_

I looked up again after a moment and exchanged a confused glance with Willis, trying to figure out why no one was asking the obvious question on all our minds. My husband only shrugged at me, though, gripping his submachine gun tighter in his hands as he turned to the Elite.

"So…what exactly do you mean by all that, Atom?" Willis inquired. "What is this 'parasite', where's it come from, and more importantly, what's it _do_?"

When 'Kuatee spoke this time, his response wasn't quite as direct as we'd hoped.

"This is the reason for the recent attacks against your lines, Captain Schaeffer," the Elite explained, keeping his eyes trained on the deformed and bloated Brute carcass lying at our feet. "The Covenant have been attempting to escape from the Flood."

"Flood…?" the Helljumper began, trailing off. "I thought you said this was some kind of disease or something. Because that actually seems like the best hypothesis we've got so far."

Atalom finally tore his gaze away from the Brute and glared at Schaeffer. "I am not hypothesizing, human. I am informing you of the clear facts you requested of me." He shook his head and sighed before going on in a more controlled tone, "The parasite is far more complex than what you humans consider to be illnesses. It is not as simple as a bacterium or virus that penetrates only your body's internal defenses, but a horrific creature that consumes your mind as well--the very depths of who and what you are. This Jiralhanae was lucky; an abnormal circumstance kept the parasite from enveloping him entirely. But in the end, the struggle killed him."

"Jesus…" Willis whispered. He gave the dead Covie a slight nudge with his combat boot, seemingly lost in thought, and then glanced over at me again. His somber expression mirrored what I felt.

Slinging my rifle diagonally across my back and folding my arms over my chest, I sighed and looked at 'Kuatee. "Anything else you can tell us, Atom?"

"Yeah," Captain Schaeffer cut in. "If this one's not a good representation of the Flood or the parasite or whatever, then what are they supposed to look like? Because of all the Covies I've seen around here, this is the only one that's been this messed up."

"Yes, a single victim is quite curious. But if the Covenant are mounting their offensives with such aggression and urgency, then that would indicate that the infestation is on fast approach. You say it has been ten days?"

The ODST nodded. "All coming from the north. I never thought I'd see the bastards running scared like that…"

"North?" I asked, barely able to keep my voice impassive. "That's where we have to go, up to one of the nearby mountain peaks." _Whatever this infection is, whatever the hell it may look like, I don't want it anywhere near my Marines and I,_ I thought. Damaging a part of your body was one thing. But losing your mind, the very essence of who you were as a person…

That was some freaky shit.

The look on Captain Henry Schaeffer's face did nothing to put me at ease. "The Covenant do seem to be coming down from the higher elevation areas, Cooper. But that doesn't necessarily mean that they're departing from where you're trying to go."

"I'm not leading my men into some hellish disease-ridden ambush, Schaeffer. If you know where the Covies are coming from, I need to know now so I can inform my battalion commander and receive further instructions," I said, only a step away from injecting a slight edge into my voice. "As important as our mission may be, I don't think it's going to take precedence over something like this."

The other captain let out a heavy sigh. "Cooper, I don't think--"

"Look out!" Willis suddenly cried, throwing himself on me without warning.

We landed hard beside the dead Brute, and intense pain shot through my face immediately. Biting my tongue to keep from crying out, I was about to ask Willis just what the hell he was trying to do when a Banshee came screaming in overhead.

'Kuatee and Schaeffer were already on the ground as the Covenant aircraft let loose with its main cannon, sending huge lances of hot plasma through the nearby trees. While the world around us seemed to be falling apart, Willis shielded me the entire time the bombardment went on, until the Banshee finally let up and flew past a few seconds later.

The Helljumper was the first to stand. "Everybody ok?"

"Cooper?" my husband asked, getting up off me and rising to his feet before helping me up. "Sorry for bowling you over like that, Captain. Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm all right," I answered. "Thanks, Will." I could still feel my cheek throbbing in protest, but I decided to keep that particular detail to myself. I didn't want Willis to worry about me.

Pulling my battle rifle from my back and holding the weapon in my hands once more, I turned to face the Elite. "Atom?"

Atalom 'Kuatee merely grunted in annoyance. "You humans are wasting precious time with your useless pleasantries. We cannot remain in this area for long; the Banshee will return, perhaps with others."

"He's right," Schaeffer said, cradling his MA5C in both hands and using it to gesture in the direction of the other Marines. "Let's get moving and head back to everyone else. All of the other attacks against our lines started just like this, with Banshees coming in first to try and soften us up. So the Covies'll be on us pretty soon."

I nodded, exchanging one last glance with Willis before we brought our visors down over our faces. With the Covenant force outnumbering us and possibly bringing in the new parasite as well, we both knew that rescuing the ODST battalion wasn't going to be an easy task.

"Good luck, Natalie," Willis said after he'd established a private channel.

"Yeah. You, too, honey," I replied. _We're gonna need more than just luck to pull this off, _I added silently to myself.

We quickly fell into step behind Captain Schaeffer and the Elite, following them out of the trees to the edge of the field. And it was as the four of us double-timed it back to the lines that the implications of our short conversation suddenly hit home for me. I felt a sudden ice-cold shiver run down my spine.

_Now we've got something even worse than death or dismemberment to worry about, _I thought.


	27. Chapter 26: For Those Who Stand Beside

Author's Note: Hey everybody, the story's finally back!! Sorry about not updating in a while, I was horribly bogged down with homework but now I'm finally free again. ;-) So, without further ado, here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it, and please don't forget to review!

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****Chapter Twenty-Six: For Those Who Stand Beside Me**

**0505 Hours, September 28, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Sacrifice," Planet Earth. Day Forty-Nine of the Invasion of Earth**

Once Schaeffer, 'Kuatee, Willis, and I reached the sandbags on the edge of the frontlines, I scanned the area ahead with the array of sensors on my HUD. There was nothing so far.

"Schaeffer, what kind of defenses do you have set up here?" I asked him, keeping my eyes--as well as my rifle--trained on the horizon as I spoke.

The Helljumper answered promptly, his prepared stance mimicking my own. "We're down to a company and a half out of what used to be three. And even with you guys here, it'll get pretty hairy, Cooper."

I nodded. "All right. You're the boss here, so just tell me where you want Bravo and I'll send in the orders."

Captain Schaeffer was quiet a moment, probably accessing information via his heads-up display before he replied, "Split up your platoons and have them maneuver to either side of the lines, then have one of them remain here in the center. We'll hold here until the Covies show up, and once you have a visual, you'll be free to engage, Captain."

"Sounds like a plan, Schaeffer. Bravo and I'll do our best to help you out," I said.

I heard him let out a heavy sigh over the COM channel. "Yeah, I know. But if those little infection things come chasing behind the Covenant, then even our best effort may not be enough."

As the young Orbital Drop Shock Trooper moved off to oversee the preparation efforts of the rest of his battalion, Willis opened a private channel to me.

"Well, he's definitely not the most encouraging commander I've ever met," my husband commented dryly.

"Give 'im a break, Will. He's been holed up here for days watching his battalion get mercilessly slaughtered by those alien bastards." My voice fell as I continued quietly, "If you'd been with us in Cote D'Azur, you would've seen just how fast hope can fade at a time like this."

Willis simply grunted in reply, and when it was clear he wasn't going to say anymore, I cut the connection.

Opening a company-wide channel in its place, I took a breath and said, "Bravo Company, listen up. No doubt you heard that Banshee come in a few minutes ago, and that was just the beginning. The ODST commander informs me that it's usually a prelude to an attack, so I want you to be ready. First platoon, rendezvous with me at this location, which I'm sending to your displays. Third platoon, take the left flank, and second platoon'll take the right. I want to be notified the moment you're in position, and be sure to hunker down. This'll be a hard fight, Marines, but I know we can do it. Any questions?"

Static filled the radio in my helmet.

"Good. Then let's get going, Bravo."

"Captain, did you inform your company about the parasite?" 'Kuatee asked when I'd closed the channel.

I shook my head in reply. "We don't really know if that body up there is a fluke or what, and we don't know much about this infection. Unless Schaeffer says anything, I want to keep it on the down low for now. No use having nervous and jumpy Marines during a fight, especially if the really frightening enemy doesn't even make an appearance."

The Elite nodded slowly. "I see. But you do realize--"

Before the alien could finish, first platoon suddenly started moving into position around Atalom, Willis and I. Watching as my Marines quickly set themselves up behind the sandbags, I radioed the company and Captain Schaeffer to see that everything was ready for the Covenant offensive; both Bravo Company and the Helljumpers were prepared.

Now it was just a matter of waiting.

In a little over five years of fighting Covenant, I'd found that oftentimes the lulls in between battles were what really messed with your head the most. All that anxious tension and fear building up inside, combined with enough time to really focus on it, could easily take over if you weren't careful. And now that we had this unknown disease roaming around the area as well, the situation was even worse.

The only good thing that could be said about being in the middle of a firefight was that you didn't have time to think so damn much.

"Captain?"

I turned instinctively to my right at the sound of the voice, facing an armored Marine clad in gray battledress, black combat boots and gloves, and a dark polarized helmet. With weapons, grenades, and supplies slung over his upper body and hanging off his web belt, he looked just like any other member of Bravo Company on the outside.

Except that he wasn't, not to me.

"What's wrong, Will? See anything yet?" I asked, continuing to survey the surrounding terrain in various modes with my HUD. _What the hell is taking those bastards so long?_ I wondered impatiently as I began to grow frustrated.

"Not a damn thing, ma'am," Willis answered. He hesitated a moment, then decided to go ahead and said, "Please, just be careful, Coop. You know I couldn't stand seeing anything happen to you."

Under different circumstances, a small smile would have formed on my face beneath my helmet. "I'll be all right, Will. But you have to promise to keep yourself out of trouble, too."

"We have a deal, Captain," my husband agreed. He walked up in front of me and touched his helmet to mine for a second before stepping back. Though the motion was rather quick, it was both touching and reassuring nonetheless.

Willis and I broke our radio connection then, and it wasn't long before the attack finally began.

The newly fortified line comprised of Bravo Company and the Helljumpers stood at the ready, waiting and watching. It was one of Captain Henry Schaeffer's men that first observed the crowd of Drones suddenly buzzing in the brightening sky.

"Captain Cooper, be advised: we've got buggy bastards coming in from the northeast, and a helluva lot of 'em, too," the ODST said over the COM channel.

I acknowledged his message by winking the green light on my HUD, then quickly turned my attention to first platoon. "All right, Marines, you knew this was coming. Let's kick some Covenant ass and then get on with the rest of our mission."

"Oorah!" came the loud response.

"Bravo! Wait for my signal and then unload on these overgrown insects! The Covies'll be throwing more shit this way soon, so we'd better clean up house before they arrive," I said, gripping my rifle tighter in my hands as the mass of Drones drew near.

"Jesus, Coop. I don't think I've ever seen that many at one time before," Willis said.

"Yeah," I radioed back. "Neither've I, Will."

"Natalie, what if--"

In that same instant, a shower of boiling hot plasma rounds and lethal pink needles started assaulting our position.

My husband's reply was drowned out by the sound of tens of machine guns, rifles, and other firearms going off across the lines. Wanting to do my part in the effort to keep the aerial aliens at bay, I aimed my battle rifle up at the sky and fired four quick bursts. Three Drones erupted in a splash of pale green blood, each emitting a sort of screech as they died; their bodies fell unceremoniously to the ground with a heavy _thump_ noise. I lithely side-stepped the corpses dropping from up above and continued to pull the trigger of my weapon.

Normally, BR55s weren't much of a match for the highly agile Drones; the three-round bursts and slow rate of fire made it easy to dodge the battle rifle's 9.5 x 40mm X-HP-SAP bullets. But the sheer volume of the winged aliens flying towards us allowed even those of us without faster weapons to score perfect kills. Too bad the trade-off was having about a million green plasma bolts and explosive needler rounds completely envelope the air around you.

"Watch your heads, Marines! Shoot the bastards down before they can get off a shot!" Captain Shaeffer yelled into the general COM channel. In the meantime, bodies began to hit the ground on the human side, as well.

"Reynolds, you'd better be triple-timing it to the wounded," I muttered to myself as I pressed my back against the sandbags. My rifle's clip had suddenly run dry, and I was trying to hastily reload while riding out the volley of enemy fire.

Pulling a fresh clip from one of my cargo pockets, I quickly ripped the spent cartridge from my battle rifle as plasma rounds kicked up the dirt around my boots. _Crap_! I thought frantically, shoving a fresh clip into my weapon as fast as I could. _If I don't get this done within the next few seconds, I can kiss my legs goodbye._

With that motivating thought in mind, I'd finally managed to fully load my BR55 when I heard a squawk come from in front of me.

I looked up to find a Drone holding its needler level with my head.

My instincts took over as I threw myself flat, hearing the shrill of several needles being loosed above my head. Staying prone while I reached for my pistol, I felt large fistfuls of sand spill all over me, getting into the cracks between my armor plates; if I didn't die here, it was sure as hell going to be an uncomfortable mission from now on. But I shouldn't have worried, because my Marines had my back.

Or at least, one in particular did.

Just as I'd unholstered my sidearm, Willis came bounding over the stack of sandbags and fired a long burst at the Drone targeting me. The alien was killed in less than a second, its body bucking back and spraying blood with the impact of each bullet before it finally fell.

I breathed a sigh of relief as my husband crouched behind the sandbags next to me, his submachine gun now out of ammunition as well.

"This isn't going too well!" Willis said over a private COM channel. "We've got most of the Drones, but I saw a few Wraiths and the rest of the infantry coming in out there!"

I didn't reply right away; a couple last Drones came buzzing over us, and I had to fire four three-round bursts to bring them down. It was only once that was over that my husband's words truly resonated in my brain.

"There's _more_ Wraiths?" I asked, lifting myself to take a peek beyond our cover. Almost all of first platoon was huddled against the sandbags by now, still bracing themselves for an airborne attack. But as I quickly saw out across the grassy landscape, the huge number of enemy soldiers and armor were now coming from the ground. "Oh, shit." _We don't even have any Scorpions or anything left_, I realized.

My pulse began pounding harder in my ears.

"We must go, Captain," Atalom 'Kuatee said. I turned to see him lying low near Willis and I, hugging the pockmarked sandbags as though they were impervious to anything the Covenant could throw at us. "Schaeffer's Helljumpers will be overrun, and we have an obligation of great importance to fulfill."

I had to work hard to keep myself from shoving the barrel of my weapon in 'Kuatee's face. "If you think for even a second that I'll just leave them here to die, you're out of your fucking mind, Atom," I hissed angrily. "We were about to get overrun in Cote D'Azur, and these Helljumpers _still_ came in and saved us. I'm not going to repay the favor by running away, Atom. _I won't_."

"Natalie?"

I was startled by the voice that suddenly filtered through my helmet; he'd never called me by my first name before. "Schaeffer?"

"Yeah, it's me. The Elite's right, Cooper. You have to get your company out of here while you can."

"_What?_" I replied, stunned by his answer. "Uh-uh. No way, Schaeffer. Don't try to be a damn hero. If I order Bravo Company to pull out, you and your men are goners, and you know it."

He chuckled, but it contained no humor. There was only regret in the sound. "We're ODSTs, Captain. We'll find a way."

I felt a lump start to form in my throat. Why couldn't he see the mistake he was making? "You're not invincible, Henry. I won't abandon you guys, not after--"

_Shoop! _

The first salvo from one of the approaching Wraith tanks was launched into the air.

"There's no time to sit around and argue, Cooper. Just go, and go now. We'll keep the bastards busy for as long as we can, but you gotta move."

The ground shook as the giant white-blue mortar round hit nearby, and I unconsciously pushed my back harder against the sandbags. _Oh, God_, I thought. _I can't leave his decimated battalion here alone to deal with this, can I?_

"_Go!_" the Helljumpers' commander screamed. "You need to continue your mission, Marine, now do it!"

_Jesus Christ, Schaeffer..._

Reluctant but resolved, I finally took a deep, calming breath and opened a company-wide channel. "Bravo Company, prepare to move out on the double," I said, concentrating hard to keep my voice steady. "Second platoon will take point, first platoon follows, and third will bring up the rear. Stick behind the line of ODSTs, move fast, and nobody say a word."

I heard a second salvo blast in the direction of Captain Schaeffer's men as I hefted my battle rifle and stood; the Marines around me quickly did the same.

Quiet and fast. That was how we left our brothers in arms behind.

I'd never felt so guilty and helpless in my whole life.


	28. Chapter 27: Survivor's Guilt

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, I'm glad you guys are still reading this, lol. Keeps me happy. ;-) As always, hope you enjoy this chapter and please review!

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Chapter Twenty-Seven: Survivor's Guilt**

**1847 Hours, September 29, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Punch in the Gut," Planet Earth. Day Fifty of the Invasion of Earth**

The next thirty-eight hours passed in a strange blur for me. Bravo Company and I gradually fought our way to the base of the mountain designated in Operation Everest, trying our best to steer clear of the areas most heavily concentrated with enemy soldiers. As we continued pressing forward to the north, however, I grew more and more aware of the fact that we were heading in the very same direction the Covenant were fleeing; the aliens had been pulling out in droves, and it was only luck and strategic maneuvering that kept my Marines from having to face them all head-on.

Despite managing to evade the larger masses of Covenant warriors so far, Bravo Company had been forced into almost constant skirmishes with probing flank patrols and other such units since departing from the 21st ODST Battalion's lines. The endless fighting was definitely taking its toll on the Marines of Bravo, both physically and psychologically, but I did my best to keep their morale up--even if my own had been shredded to ribbons after leaving Captain Henry Schaeffer to fend for himself. Ever since then, I'd simply been going through the motions of battle and command, as though I'd suddenly become a programmed war machine rather than a human being.

Hence the blur.

"Cooper?"

Curiously, it wasn't the sound of my name that brought an abrupt end to my musings; I was only jerked back into reality when I felt a pair of strong hands grab firmly onto my shoulders.

"I know what's eating at you, Natalie, and I'm pretty sure it has little to do with all the fighting we've been doing."

I looked up as Willis sat down next to me and removed his helmet. Since we'd finally made it a few meters into the thickly-forested low altitudes of the mountain, Bravo Company had been given a brief respite from the combat. After using a platoon to set up a perimeter around the rest of us, and with the promise of rotating the guard, I'd ordered a momentary halt to recuperate a bit. The Marines were in need of a good rest and a meal…and I needed some time to clear my head.

Grateful that Willis and I were somewhat separated from the others, I placed my own helmet on top of the large boulder we were sitting on and let out a defeated sigh. "We shouldn't have had to do that, Will. Not to anyone, really, but especially not to them."

"I'm sorry, Natalie, but there was nothing you could do," my husband assured me quietly. "If you'd chosen to stay, we'd all be dead, too."

I didn't reply, and there were a few minutes of silence between us before he turned to unhook his canteen from his web belt. Willis offered it to me and, after staring for a moment, I finally grabbed it and unscrewed the top. Taking a quick swig of the cool water within, I gave him a half-hearted smile as I handed the canteen back.

"Thanks. Weird, I know, but I think I needed that."

Willis chuckled. "No problem, honey," he said, taking a drink himself before replacing the container on his belt. "Want to hear something weirder, though?"

"Huh?"

"I know exactly how you feel right now, Coop."

I arched a skeptical eyebrow at him in response.

He suddenly looked down at his boots, which were caked in dried mud, various-colored splotches of blood, and bits of grass. When my husband finally replied, his voice was so low I had to strain to hear what he was saying.

"I killed him, Natalie."

Startled, I immediately responded by croaking, "W-what?"

Willis ran a hand over his short hair and licked his lips. "I couldn't hang onto the bird, Cooper. That's how Alex died."

"Will, what the hell are you talking about?" I asked, genuinely confused.

So I listened as he briefly explained the story of what had gone on prior to our meeting up: the many days of exhaustion and finally, the fatal mistake they had caused. What truly gnawed at Willis the most, however, was coming to in the cockpit with his friend's blood dripping on his face. I had to admit, even I had never experienced something quite that gruesome in the field.

_God_, I thought to myself. _We both feel like the deaths of our buddies are on our hands._

"I'm sick of this war, Will," I said after a while. "I'm sick of being separated from you, from Gabe, from the other kid we should've had by now. I just want it all to be over and done with, so I don't have to keep watching everyone I know get killed, one by fucking one."

"I feel the same way, Coop." For the first time in days, Willis offered me a small grin. "But at least we aren't separated from each other right now." He gently touched a hand to my cheek then, stroking the side that had been bloodied by the penetrating spiker round. And before I could stop what was happening, he leaned in and kissed me softly on the lips.

At first I didn't say anything, too dazed and, honestly, pleasantly surprised by his sudden motion. Luckily, though, the rational part of my brain kicked in a few seconds later.

"Willis, are you insane?" I hissed under my breath. "I have my entire company scattered around us!"

"Sorry," he said, quickly pulling back as he flashed a sheepish grin at me. "I just thought we both kind of…needed it." He paused for a moment, and when he spoke next, it was in a dead-serious tone. "Look, Coop, between the invasion and this crazy new infection spreading around, I have a feeling that things are going to get much worse before they get better." Reaching for my gloved hand, Willis took it and gave it a quick squeeze, his hazel eyes boring into mine. "Whatever happens, Natalie, we'll get through it together no matter what, all right?"

I squeezed his hand in return. "Yeah. Of course, Will."

My husband nodded as his earlier grin returned. "At least we know that strategy's never failed us in the past."

"True," I conceded. "Except this time, it's warfare we're talking about."

We sat there in a contemplative silence then, and after another few minutes I checked my watch.

I sighed. It was time to get moving again.

Slapping a hand on my husband's armor-plated thigh, I said, "Come on, Lieutenant. I don't want to hang out here too much longer. The Covies'll be on us soon."

"Yes, ma'am," Willis responded, picking up his gear as he got to his feet. We both donned our helmets and grabbed our respective weapons, and I was about to open a company-wide COM channel when I noticed movement in my peripheral vision.

Rapidly bringing my BR55 battle rifle to bear, I grabbed Willis's arm with my free hand to get his attention before motioning up ahead. He quickly aimed down the sights of his submachine gun, and we listened to the rustling brush.

"Perimeter watch?" I asked through my external speakers.

There was no answer.

I looked through my battle rifle's scope as I carefully inched forward, trigger finger quivering with anticipation. The very second I saw a form that didn't look humanoid, I was going to be ready to fill it with lead.

Willis moved up silently beside me, and that's when four red dots suddenly popped up on my motion tracker.

"Captain! We've got a few Covies that slipped past our lines!" I heard Lieutenant Frederick shout through the COM channel. "They're invisible!"

Sure enough, a hail of Brute spiker rounds emerged seemingly from thin air even as the officer spoke; Willis and I had to duck fast beneath the boulder to avoid getting hit.

"Bravo Company, stay put and hold your fire! We've got four camouflaged Brutes here who've breached the perimeter," I said over the radio. Keeping an eye on the motion tracker on my HUD, I used it to guide my shots as I fired back at the spot where the spiker rounds originated. A few seconds later, I was rewarded with the angry grumble of a Brute; the invisibility generator on its translucent shield flickered, and the beast's side, now covered in dark purple blood, became visible. I kept pumping lead in its direction until the creature's corpse flopped to the ground.

According to my heads-up display, the other three were concealed behind the deceased Brute.

Willis was already trying to deal with a second one, squeezing off precise bursts as the air around us shimmered with phantom-like movements, when Atom joined us. Far more experienced with Covenant equipment, the Elite quickly revealed the position of the remaining two Brutes by steadily firing his carbine at them.

"Will! Toss a grenade and then the three of us'll charge 'em!" I ordered, feeling the barrel of my gun begin to overheat in my hands. I quickly swapped magazines, then continued, "We have to take them down before they make it any further into the perimeter!"

"Got it, Coop," Willis said. Ripping a frag grenade from his web belt, he pulled the pin, let it fly from his grip, and cried, "Fire in the hole!"

Atalom 'Kuatee crouched behind the large rock along with Willis and I, and the grenade detonated just yards away. When we looked up, two of the formerly camouflaged Brutes were lying in bloody parts on the rocky ground, while a third had a large chunk of shrapnel stuck in its neck. The last living alien gurgled as thick blood invaded its windpipe.

That didn't stop it from delivering a few last choice words, though.

"Is that thing trying to talk, Atom? The hell's it saying?" my husband asked, approaching the fatally wounded Brute with caution.

"'You need not seek the parasite, for it will find you. Even as your forces advance, it surrounds you while we make our escape,'" the Elite translated. "The Jiralhanae is mocking us, pilot."

"Yeah?" Willis stood over the dying Covenant warrior, holding his weapon in his hands as he looked down. "Tell it to mock this."

He pulled the trigger of his submachine gun and emptied half a clip into the Brute's head. Blood and bits of brain spattered on the three of us, landing mostly on our boots.

"The Covies have been taken care of, Bravo," I said over the company-wide channel once the alien was dead. "Form up by platoon and let's get moving again, Marines."

Hefting my battle rifle as I awaited acknowledgments, I watched Willis reload his gun before he fell into step beside 'Kuatee and I.

"How long do you think it'll take for us to reach the ridge, Coop?" my husband inquired.

I shrugged. "It really depends on what we run into along the way, but I'd say a couple more days. Why?"

Willis was about to reply when a gruff voice suddenly came through the general COM channel. "Captain Cooper, this is Major Phillips."

I blinked several times. I wasn't due to send him a sitrep for about another ten hours. "Sir? Is something wrong?"

There was static on the line for a long while, and I thought the connection had been disrupted. But eventually, my superior officer's voice returned.

"Cooper, I hope you're sitting down when you hear this." The major let out a heavy sigh. "Foxtrot Base has been overrun, Captain, and it looks like our battalion is the only one that survived."


	29. Chapter 28: Back to the Start

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Back to the Start**

**1135 Hours, October 4, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The First Real Encounter," Planet Earth. Day Fifty-Five of the Invasion of Earth**

We spent the next five days hiking up the mountain, our progress slowed not only by Covenant attacks but also the weather. By the time we reached the correct altitude for our purposes, the ground beneath us was covered almost entirely with snow, and fresh flakes continued falling from the sky as we marched the last few hundred meters to the ridge.

Even with the base in Lienz taken over by the escaping Covenant forces, Major Phillips had decided that our original mission was too important to abandon; we couldn't attempt to pull out of the area until the Prophet was dead. Using the same tactics Bravo Company had employed during their march to the objective, the rest of the 102nd Battalion had managed to reach the base of the mountain a day ago. They planned on remaining there until we had finished our mission.

Presently, I marched along at the head of Bravo with my best friend, First Lieutenant Dean Lewis. Although it was never a good idea to have both the company commander and the executive officer in the same vicinity, we had needed to meet briefly to discuss our next move. The company had finally reached its objective, and now it was time to start figuring out how we were going to go about completing the operation.

"So what do you think, Captain?" Lieutenant Lewis asked. "Shall I send in a squad from third platoon to scout ahead?"

I contemplated the question for only a few seconds before replying, "No, Dean. I know that's what Phillips had originally planned for this, but I want to see what we're up against for myself. And since Willis is our sniper, he'll have to be there, too." I paused for a moment, looking over the map displayed on my HUD in order to make my final decision. "Ok, Lewis, I'm going to order a halt now. I want you to keep Bravo Company here while Will and I check out the valley, and then once we find the Covenant encampment and spot the Prophet, I'll radio you on a private channel. Is that clear, Lieutenant?"

My friend didn't hesitate. "Yes, ma'am."

It was as Dean and I were speaking that I suddenly became thankful for the short talk Willis and I had had a few days ago: venting our feelings and frustrations allowed both of us to more or less return to our normal, functional selves. And for a mission like ours, which was entirely dependant on our performance, that was a very fortunate occurrence indeed.

"Great," I said, responding to Lewis's affirmative answer. Lifting my helmet's visor and turning to face him, I flashed a small grin at my buddy. "Here goes nothing, Dean. Let's hope we can get this over with quick so we can get the hell out of this place."

Lieutenant Lewis raised his own faceplate and grinned back. "I agree whole-heartedly, Captain. Good luck, ma'am."

"Thanks."

I started walking further down the column of soldiers then, both to separate myself from my second-in-command and to find my husband. Though all the members of Bravo looked essentially the same when fully suited up with armor and equipment, there were subtleties in each of the men and women that made it possible to distinguish one Marine from the next. Because I was most familiar with Willis's characteristics, it didn't take me long to spot him.

"You ready to do this, Will?" I asked as I fell into step beside him.

He nodded almost imperceptibly. "On your command, Captain."

"All right," I replied. Taking a moment to switch to the company-wide channel, I glanced down at my weapon before speaking into my helmet's radio. "Bravo Company, halt and sit tight for a minute. I'm going to scout ahead to see if those Covies are still hiding out below the ridgeline. Set up a perimeter and notify me immediately if there's anything out of the ordinary."

I waited for acknowledgments, then turned back to Willis and motioned for him to follow. "You're coming with me, El-Tee."

"Yes, ma'am."

The two of us walked quickly but cautiously to the ridge up ahead. Once there, I had Willis set up his sniper rifle as I surveyed the valley below; sure enough, the Covenant encampment we'd been looking for was right where my battalion commander had said it would be. After radioing Major Phillips for further instructions, I scanned the area for any sign of the Prophet, but the alien leader was nowhere to be found.

"Cooper? Get anything yet?" the major said over the COM after a while.

"Negative, sir," I answered. "Target must be elsewhere at this time. Orders?"

I heard Phillips sigh. "I'll give you two more minutes, Captain. After that, pull out and maintain a perimeter around the ridge. We'll try again in an hour."

"Yes, sir."

So Willis and I continued to keep our scope-enhanced eyes on the enemy outpost, waiting for the Covenant Prophet to show itself. But what we ended up getting instead was a strange-looking bipedal creature of some sort.

And before we had the time to figure out what it was, I suddenly noticed a horde of small balloon-like things appear all around us.

"Willis!" I cried, turning to see a half-dozen of the minuscule life forms floating rapidly towards me.

"What?" my husband asked. Finally looking up from his sniper rifle, it didn't take him long to realize we were under attack; he quickly pulled his submachine gun off his shoulder and brought the weapon to bear.

While Willis was prepping the gun in his hands, I fired my battle rifle experimentally at the things, surprised to find that they simply popped into cream-colored ribbons when the bullets hit them. The little bastards were easy to kill, but there were so damn many of them...

"Natalie, what the hell are these things?" Willis inquired as he pulled down the trigger of his submachine gun. I could see him backpedaling in my direction as tens of the creatures swarmed at him, but thankfully his weapon's rate of fire prevented any from jumping onto his body.

"Do I really look like I know?" I answered, wishing my rifle was a fully automatic bullet hose like Willis's gun. I managed to take out most of the small tentacled balloons coming for me, yet a couple made it through my hail of lead and latched onto my front armor. "Jesus, what the fuck!"

My husband turned to look just in time to see me punch the things off my chest. The two creatures exploded in a puff of...well, what looked like pieces of tissue paper. Rapidly moving to face the next wave of the unidentified aliens, I squeezed the trigger of my BR55 only to hear it expel a _click, click_ noise.

Oh, God. I'd run out of ammunition.

Desperate for a way out I ran towards the edge of the cliff, hoping I could trick the little bastards into falling to their death in order to reload my weapon. What I hadn't counted on, however, was my boots losing traction on the patch of ice under a thin layer of snow.

The blood pumping through my ears was so loud I didn't hear Willis's warning until it was too late.

"_Natalie!_"

My feet slipped across the hidden ice-covered ground, and I felt myself start to fall forward near the ledge.

_Willis!_ I wanted to shout back. I felt my throat tighten with fear, and I couldn't even breathe. This was it. This was...

Clawing at the rocky, snowy expanse in front of me, my gloved hands finally found purchase on one of the smaller boulders as my lower body dangled precariously off the edge; I watched as a few of the creatures that had been chasing me overshot their intended target and went flying right off the bluff.

Yeah, this was definitely not the way I'd envisioned things turning out.

Even as I held onto the rock and attempted to pull myself back up to safety, I could see my husband firing his submachine gun erratically at the balloon creatures; he was doing everything he could to get to me quickly, but without both of us fighting together, he was starting to get overwhelmed.

Before I could dwell on Willis's predicament further, I suddenly spotted a half dozen more little tentacled beings bounding in my direction. _Great, like I don't have enough problems already_, I thought, now more angry than afraid. Feeling determined, I grabbed firmly onto the boulder--the only thing separating me from a deadly plummet--with both hands and used all my last reserves of energy to get my body back on solid ground. Scraping my combat boots against the dirt and rocks that made up the cliff edge, I managed to give myself enough of a boost to finally achieve my goal.

A fresh rush of adrenaline washed through me when I rose to my knees and reached for my sidearm. With the small aliens almost upon me, I rapidly brought the silenced pistol from its holster and squeezed the trigger, popping the tiny things one by one.

Gradually the tide of attackers began to subside, and Willis and I were left standing on opposite sides of the ridge, utterly exhausted. I could hear him breathing hard through the COM channel when he hailed me.

"Christ, Cooper, are you ok?" he asked as he ambled over.

"That...was pretty damn close," I replied, sitting down between the rocks to reload my weapons. Both had long since run dry, so I was grateful for the momentary reprieve. "But I think I'm still alive."

He chuckled in relief. "You know, Coop, maybe next time you shouldn't automatically head for the cliff's edge. Besides nearly getting yourself killed, you also came close to giving me a major heart attack."

I let out a feeble laugh as he sat down next to me. "I wasn't exactly thinking at the time, Will. More like reacting." Turning to look at him, I lifted my faceplate and asked, "What do you suppose those crazy little bastards were, anyway?"

"That, Captain," a third voice behind us interjected, "was the parasite."

My husband and I instantly brought our weapons to bear on the speaker, but we quickly lowered them when we saw who it was.

"You sure have some bad timing, Atom," I pointed out, returning my pistol to its belt holster.

"So that was the Flood then, huh?" Willis said. Shaking his head as he rose to his feet, he added, "Creepy as hell, if you ask me."

"Yeah," I agreed. After standing myself, I gave our Elite ally a questioning look. "How'd you know what were fighting, anyway?"

"The lieutenant you left in charge sent me to make sure all was well. I saw you combating the parasite from afar, but by the time I reached you they were gone."

Noticing that we weren't motioning to leave, 'Kuatee suddenly growled at Willis and I. "Do not stand idle, humans. We must depart quickly, for the parasite will return."

My blood ran cold. "Return? We just fought off a million of the things!"

"And there are millions more, Captain. Come, let us make for your Marines. I fear our mission will be a long one."


	30. Chapter 29: Don't Eat the Yellow Snow

Author's Note: So, after the longest delay in history, I've finally been able to put up the next chapter. Sorry to all my readers for being out of the technology loop for so long, but Internet has been hard to come by during my long summer here in Italy. I've got a couple chapters ready, though, so hopefully that'll tide everyone over until I come home in a week. As always, hope you enjoy and please review! ;-)

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****Chapter Twenty-Nine: Don't Eat the Yellow Snow**

**0343 Hours, October 5, 2552. ****Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. **"**The Raid," Planet Earth. ****Day Fifty-Six of the Invasion of Earth**

Fear.

It was one of those classic emotions that every human being experienced, oftentimes with a nearly paralyzing intensity. Many liked to say that other forms of feeling are more powerful, such as love, hunger, or pain, but I knew better. I loved Willis and Gabe with every fiber of my being, but that didn't cause an impediment on daily functioning. I'd felt gnawing hunger more often than not while out in the field, but ultimately it hadn't kept me from doing my job. And I'd had my fair share of both physical and emotional pain over the years; while not particularly fun to deal with in the moment, pain would always pass--or at the very least, dull. If you were scared enough, though, you could easily drive all other thoughts from your mind. Sometimes, you could even forget who you were. Go insane.

Raw terror tended to have that effect.

I sat clutching my shotgun between my hands, focusing on taking in air one breath at a time. My heart felt like it was pounding right out of my chest, and I prayed the situation I found myself in wouldn't last much longer. _Please, please, please. Just let it be over soon_, I thought to myself more than a little desperately.

I'd turned my helmet's audio pick-up down as low as it could go, but I still heard them outside, through the walls. That damn high-pitched warbling sound, hard to describe in words but far too recognizable to the ears. Several hours ago I didn't even know such a sound existed, but now I felt like I'd never gone without hearing it. The sound in this place was a constant, like background noise…except you didn't forget it was there.

Trying to find a distraction--anything to keep my mind off how nauseous I felt--I turned to glance at the rest of my infiltration team. I couldn't see their faces behind their polarized visors, but both their body language and the tattered state of their uniforms said it all: my statue-still group of ten Marines were covered in dried vomit and caked in darkened blood. And then, there was all the yellowish fluid secreted by the monsters outside; not even my helmet's systems could keep out the mingling smells completely.

The warbling grew louder, and I could tell that some of the things had now reached the outer door. Sucking in a deep breath of oxygen, I steadied my hands as I crouched low in front of the others. I aimed my weapon at the entrance to the room we were in, carefully placed my finger inside the trigger guard, and opened a COM channel to my men.

"All right, Marines, this is it. We'll get the bastards the moment they come through that door. Remember to be aware of your surroundings at all times, and don't get so jumpy that you fire on a fellow Marine. Let's finish this and get the fuck outta here."

I had no idea how I'd managed to keep my voice from going hysterical, let alone kept it level, but I didn't have time to dwell on that at the moment. As soon as the team had acknowledged my orders, the pressure door in front of me burst open. Now, instead of hearing only the deafening warble, my eardrums were suddenly enveloped with the cacophony of weapons fire as the creatures rapidly approached.

_Please, please, please_, I thought again as I fired shell after shell into zombie-like beings. _Just let it be over soon._

**Twelve Hours Earlier**

Not long after very nearly throwing myself off the edge of a cliff, I walked back to the rest of my company along with Willis and Atalom 'Kuatee. The fight with what I now knew to be Flood Infection Forms had been nerve-racking, to say the least, but I was experienced enough to realize that it was nothing compared to what we'd encounter in the future.

When I'd reached the lead platoon of Bravo Company, I brought my tinted visor back down over my face; it had begun to snow, and the cold mountain air was freezing the sweat on my forehead.

"Ma'am?" First Lieutenant Lewis asked once I'd approached. "What's--"

"Dean, we have a problem. A very, very big one," I answered on a private channel.

He glanced down at his weapon, then looked back at me. "And that would be, Captain?"

"A parasitic life-form called the Flood. And according to Atom, even the Covies are afraid of it." Before my XO could respond, I opened a company-wide channel. It was time to explain the newfound killer tentacled balloon creatures to all of my Marines. I wasn't sure I really understood the entirety of what was truly happening myself, but if we were going to be fighting these things, they would have to know the basics. With considerable help from Atom, I did my best to describe the Flood as briefly and thoroughly as possible. Then came the hard part.

"Bravo Company, though we have reached the objective, there has been no sign of our target as of yet," I said. "Therefore, Battalion has ordered me to bring a reinforced squad down to the Covenant encampment to check the place out. If we can find evidence that the Covies are holed up in there, or failing that, clues as to where they went, we can track this alien bastard down. I want to keep the infiltration team small, and I'll be asking for twelve volunteers. Also, keep in mind that there is a high probability that Covies won't be the only hostile forces we'll encounter." I paused to let the information sink in, then asked, "So who wants in?"

Tens of acknowledgment lights immediately lit up across my HUD. Put together, they constituted the entire company.

Grinning inside my helmet at the overwhelming response, I quickly picked out a dozen of the names that flashed on my screen. "Roys, Foster, Lincoln, Dandh, Simmons, Zamonov, Castillas, O'Reagan, West, Hawk, and Reynolds, gear up." I turned to look at our Elite ally, who was standing off to the side nearby. "Atom, you, too. The rest of you, sit tight up here till we return. I want an effective perimeter set up and a vigilant, rotated watch; you never know where those infection forms'll pop out next. Dean, you're in charge, and I expect immediate notification of any action going on up here."

"Yes, ma'am," my second-in-command replied.

"Good luck, Marines," I said to the company as my team gathered around. "Semper fi."

"Oorah!" came the reply.

I opened a separate COM channel for the new squad. "And to you boys and girls, let's get moving. Keep your eyes peeled for Covies, Prophets, or Flood, and in the case of the latter, make sure you shoot first and ask questions later."

With that I brought my battle rifle to bear and took point, beginning the march across the snow-covered ridge; the mixed group of soldiers with me followed slowly and silently behind. By the time we got to the ridge, it was so quiet that I could hear my combat boots crunching the white expanse beneath. The snow started falling harder, and visibility was becoming a problem, at least for the unaided eye; if it hadn't been for our HUDs, which kept track of each individual Marine's location in relation to the others, we may have lost contact with one another. Using the cliff edge as well as map displays to guide us, I led the select portion of Bravo Company gradually down the slope.

Several hours passed with no suspicious movement on my motion tracker, and the eerie silence--no, the lack of _life_--throughout our hike down to the valley was absolutely unnerving.

"Captain Cooper?" Corporal Simmons asked while I scanned the surrounding trees. Glancing at another sensor on my HUD, I saw that she was walking directly behind me.

"What is it, Corporal?" My team and I were about a hundred yards from the supposed Covie camp now, so any last minute problems had to be resolved quickly.

She hesitated before answering. "Ma'am, all due respect to Major Phillips, but…I think if the Covenant were based here, even something as small as an OP, we'd have seen some of them by now."

I couldn't agree more, but it wouldn't be professional of me to say so. "Your concern has been noted, Simmons, but the major gave us an order. We're going to carry it out."

"Yes, ma'am. Of course. I--"

"Uh, Captain? What in the _hell_ are these things, ma'am?" another Marine interrupted. I recognized the voice as Private First Class Kenyon Roys, one of Bravo Company's recent replacements. Apparently, he'd just noticed the same floating yellowish spheres in the air that I had.

"I don't know, Private. Atom?"

The Elite, standing beside me, shook his head. "I have limited knowledge on the Flood, Captain, but the presence of these pollens is not a coincidence. Not when we are approaching the entrance, and certainly not when the parasite has been dormant for the duration of this march."

I frowned. That definitely didn't bode well for what we'd find in this structure…or for us. "Stay sharp, Marines. We're almost to the enemy hideout, but it looks like there might be something else up ahead."

A second later, I regretted uttering those words.

Before the attack of zombie-like creatures, straight out of the horror vids I used to watch as a teen, I saw lances of blue plasma head right for me. As I threw my gear-laden body into a fresh patch of snow, it occurred to me that the shots had seemingly come from thin air.

"Everybody down! Fire at will, but be careful: they're invisible!" I shouted into the SQUADCOM. Bringing the butt of my BR55 into my shoulder, I sighted in on the plasma rifle rounds and fired three quick bursts. I felt myself sinking deeper into the snow every time I pulled the trigger, making me a smaller target but also covering me with powder. _Painful death by Covenant plasma?_ I debated in my mind_. Or slow death by asphyxiation?_ Decisions, decisions.

Thankfully, since my Marines outnumbered the enemy for now, I wasn't kept pinned down for long. Exposing the hidden creatures with my battle rifle's bullets, I allowed the rest of my entourage to see and then rapidly dispatch the huge beasts.

My eyes were still wide with shock when I tried to push myself up from the ground. Unfortunately, however, my effort had the opposite effect, and I ended up sinking even lower under the snow. Before I could be thoroughly buried alive, I felt something grab onto the back of my uniform jacket and haul me abruptly to my feet, snow and all. I didn't need to read the green 1LT HAWK indicator on my heads-up display to know who it was.

"Almost lost you in there, Coop," he said lightly over a private channel. "Remind me not to take you skiing anytime soon."

I knew he was doing his best to keep me calm, but after seeing what we were up against, I wasn't so sure I could play along. Still, I gave my husband a slight nod of thanks, then turned to face the structure again. "Team status?" I asked over the COM.

"All accounted for, ma'am," the newly promoted Sergeant Dandh answered. I'd given him the rate advancement just before setting out from Foxtrot Base, for his excellent performance as squad leader since Heath. "No enemy con--"

"Belay that, Sergeant!" Willis suddenly interjected. "Captain, I've got multiple contacts popping up dead ahead, and on our flanks as well." He stepped in front of me and crouched low, aiming down the sights of his submachine gun. "There's no Covenant base here, Cooper, and there's definitely no Prophet. But it _is_ a Covenant trick, and a damned clever one at that. Those bastards set us up."

I didn't have a chance to process that, because the firing started moments after. Plasma rounds and needles burst against the pine trees behind us, breaking off pieces of bark and turning them into auxiliary projectiles. Ushering my Marines to safer cover, I stumbled as a plasma grenade came sailing out of nowhere and hit the base of a nearby tree, blowing the trunk to smithereens and causing the rest to topple over. The felled tree landed among us, providing instant cover while at the same time, by a stroke of luck, injuring no one.

Once behind the mammoth log, I fired off burst after burst from my battle rifle, revealing terrifying creatures that bumbled toward our makeshift lines; the new Flood forms waved their "arms" erratically and let out otherworldly roars that sounded more like agonized moans. I watched as tons of the things poured from the structure forward of our position, bounding and lunging to get to us. It was a frightening sight.

"Fire in the hole!" PFC Foster cried as he stood beside me. He ripped a frag grenade from his web belt and, gripping his MA5C tight in his right hand, chucked the explosive with his left. The grenade went flying into the center of the oncoming horde and burst violently, sending a geyser of snow, shrapnel, and Flood parts into the air. Yellow-brown fluid decorated the ground when the snow settled.

But now, we were winning.

"Keep up the heavy fire, Marines!" I ordered over the team COM channel. "We're pushing them back!"

The tide of parasitic life forms was quickly receding as my Marines and I laid down a blanket of automatic fire. One of the creatures tried to make another charge at our cover, but it was quickly cut down by Sergeant Dandh's submachine gun. Erupting in a spray of that oddly-colored liquid, the huge Flood form made a pained warbling sound and fell onto the white ground, dead.

Or so I thought.

With only a few sparse parasite things left in the open, the downed Flood form rose up a second time and leapt high into the air, even brushing against the tips of the pine tree branches. Glancing over to my left, I saw it land near the edge of the log and pull back its loose arm-like appendage. Then, swinging its arm fast like a whip, the beast slapped Private First Class Lily West square in the faceplate of her helmet. The young Marine went flying several feet back into the woods, her flight ending abruptly when she smacked hard against a tree.

A scream suddenly came over the COM channel, and a splattering of warm red blood hit the white snow near my boots.

"Reynolds, get to West!" I barked. I immediately turned my weapon on the Flood form and pulled the trigger of my weapon, striking the creature with four three-round bursts to bring it down again. This time, I hoped it'd remain there for good.

While the Marines got rid of the lingering Flood forms, I sprinted back towards the private. Doc Reynolds was already crouched there, and I got a cold feeling in the pit of my stomach when I realized he was shaking his head.

"Never seen anything like it, Captain," the medic said as I approached. "I mean, I guess I sorta did with you and that Brute in Cote D'Azur, but this is different. It was just a slap and a tree, but the injuries were fatal." He turned his faceplate in my direction and looked up at me. "The private's dead, ma'am."

I momentarily studied the trail of blood running down the private's cracked visor, then looked back at the scattered crimson droplets on the snow. "Blunt trauma, huh?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Swallowing hard, I lowered my head and saw what lay beneath PFC West's faceplate: her lower jaw sat at an unnatural angle, probably dislocated, and there were bleeding lacerations on her cheeks. The rest of her face was covered with what remained of the polarized visor. "Fuck," I mumbled.

Petty Officer Reynolds shook his head in dismay. "I'm sorry, Captain. She was killed pretty much on impact. There wasn't anything I could do."

I let out a heavy sigh. "All right, then. Go ahead and grab her tags, Doc, and meet up with the others at the entrance when you're done."

He nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Natalie? Is everything ok?" Willis's voice suddenly flooded into my helmet as I was walking back, and I nearly jumped.

"One of my Marines is dead, Will," I answered quietly. "Apparently those sons o' bitches pack a mean punch. We'll have to be more careful next time."

"Jesus," he whispered.

"Tell me about it." _We've just started out, and already one of us is no longer alive_, I thought to myself. _Poor kid._

Switching to the team-wide channel, I broke the news to the other Marines and had them continue our march to the opening of the Covie camp. It was finally time to check out the real story behind what was going on around here. Doc Reynolds rejoined us shortly, filing into the structure along with the team, currently guided by Sergeant Dandh. In the meantime, I halted outside the entrance to radio Major Phillips one last time; I had a feeling there wouldn't be a signal from inside.

"Major Phillips, sir?"

There was a crackle of static, then my superior officer's voice came through. "Got news for me, Captain Cooper?"

"Yes, sir. I've left Bravo up on the ridge in reserve, with Lieutenant Lewis in charge. Twelve other Marines and myself are doing the recon you requested, and we've reached the camp. No sign of Covenant so far, Major, but the place is crawling with Flood." I paused and took a deep breath. "We've also got one KIA, sir."

"I see," Major Phillips said after a moment. "Well, stick to the plan for now, Captain. I want to find out if the Prophet is still hiding in there somewhere. Be sure to use your head, Cooper, and keep your men safe; if things get too hot, I want you to abort the mission. Having this new parasite around has shuffled our priorities a bit."

"Understood, sir."

"Good. Phillips out."

"So?" Willis asked. "What's the word, Coop?"

Gripping the bloodied and dirty battle rifle in my hands, I turned to face my husband. He'd stayed behind out here with me, silently watching my six as I concentrated on the call. I nodded towards the structure opening. "We keep going, Lieutenant. Move it."

As two of us hurried inside, I wondered if we'd ever find the Prophet that we'd set out to look for, or if it was all some kind of hoax as Willis believed. But whatever the outcome, I knew that my Marines and I would be in it for the long haul.


	31. Chapter 30: Lightning Strikes Twice

Author's Note: Here's the second chapter I promised. I've got the next one finished as well, but unfortunately I can't upload it until I'm back in the States in a few days. Anyway, hope you enjoy this one in the meantime, please review, and peace!

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Chapter Thirty: Lightning Strikes Twice**

The first thing I noticed about the structure when I entered was how warm it was. For a cavern-like hideout in the middle of a snowy mountaintop, it was certainly a far cry from the subzero weather outside.

"Tight spaces shielded from the wind by thick walls," Willis observed behind me, as if reading my mind. "Keeps the heat trapped inside. Question is, why?"

"Maybe 'cause it's freezing outside?" I offered.

"Yeah, but if this parasite thing is as tough and frightening as Atom suggests--and I don't doubt it after what we've seen so far--then what's the point? Temperature shouldn't be much of a factor for the Flood."

Realization slowly dawned, and it was a chilling one. "You think they're harboring something in here? Like prisoners?"

"I don't know, Coop. But something just doesn't…feel right."

I didn't like the sound of that, nor did I like the fact that my instincts were telling me Willis was correct somehow. Watching via my HUD as my team of Marines continued down the long, dark corridor that led away from the entrance, I kept my eyes scanning across the surrounding walls and the ground beneath my combat boots. I knew the Flood--and perhaps even the Covenant we'd been sent after--were still inside the structure. Now, it was just a matter of either finding them, or of waiting for them to find us.

"Ma'am?"

My pulse quickened by the tiniest bit, but my voice betrayed none of my anxiety. "Yes, Dandh?"

"I've moved into the first room, Captain. You…you might want to come take a look at this, ma'am."

"Wait one, Sergeant, I'll be there. Halt the team in the meantime."

"Yes, ma'am."

Holding my rifle to bear as I stepped forward, I instantly became aware of Willis following behind me. Seeing as he was the only other officer with us, I had to make sure he didn't come along with me to the head of the formation. "Stay put, Hawk," I said into the SQUADCOM, temporarily refraining from using his first name to show I was serious. "If something happens to me, you're next in line, El-Tee."

Willis didn't utter a single word of acknowledgment, yet I no longer heard the soft footfalls of his boots on my six. I guessed he was probably upset with me, but I'd rather have him a little disgruntled than dead. My own death I could handle. Not his.

The select team of Marines came to a stop, and I was able to move past them quickly to get to where Sergeant Dandh was, several feet ahead of us. Though I couldn't see him directly just yet, I could already make out his long shadow from the hallway. Either he had his helmet light on, or there was some internal source in the room. If the latter were true, that would be one more peculiarity to add to the growing list.

"Private Roys, keep your eyes ahead and be ready to provide cover fire," I whispered into the COM as I stepped into the brightly lit room. "Atom, care to join us?"

"Yes, ma'am," PFC Kenyon Roys responded.

"I will assist you, Captain," 'Kuatee confirmed a second later.

A grisly sight met my eyes when I finally focused my attention on the interior of the room. Lowering the barrel of my BR55 once inside, I took a long look around and slowly shook my head in disbelief.

Bloodstains decorated every side of the concrete gray walls, and a few splotches were sprinkled across the low ceiling as well. They came in many different shades, obviously indicating a multi-species fight had occurred here, but the prevailing hue was a dark violet--that meant Brutes. I found the lack of red, however, the most telling. If Willis's suggestion of prisoners, or the like, was correct, then they were either being contained deeper inside the structure, or they weren't of the human variety. And just where the hell were the bodies?

I suddenly felt like scratching my head. _This just keeps getting weirder and weirder_, I thought to myself.

Sergeant Dandh appeared beside me then and turned his faceplate in my direction. "Captain? What do you make of all this, ma'am?"

Giving the surroundings a second once-over, I shook my head again. "Shit, Dandh. I can't even begin to explain it." I spun around at the sound of alien feet approaching behind me. "Atom? Any ideas?"

'Kuatee lowered his gaze, silently contemplating the specks of dried orange, light blue, and purple fluids on the ground. He was about to reply when I held up a finger to stop him; my husband's urgent voice was coming through our private channel.

"Coop, we've got a major issue on our hands," he informed me.

I immediately gripped my rifle tighter out of reflex; Willis was bringing up the rear, and I was worried that he'd eventually find himself at the head of a sneak attack. "What's that?"

"Well, I hope you weren't counting on leaving any time soon, because there's a full-scale blizzard picking up outside." He paused, and for a moment I heard the shrill whistle of the wind outside. It sounded terrible. "Visibility's real shitty after more than a few feet, Cooper. There's no way to cross all that terrain and get back to the company, even if gale-force winds weren't a problem. Which they are, by the way."

"Dammit," I muttered.

The good news was that Willis didn't seem to be mad at me after all. But the bad news sure as hell made up for that bit of fortune. The weather had been getting progressively worse as my team and I had made our way down the ridge to the valley, so in the back of my mind, I'd known something like this was likely to happen. Still, I'd held out hope that even if everything else went wrong, at least the atmospheric conditions would remain steady. _There goes that idea_.

"I respectfully suggest we hold here until this blows over, ma'am," Willis concluded.

I took a deep breath before answering. "Right. Thanks for the sitrep, El-Tee. Now get Corporal Zamonov to act as rear guard and double-time it up here. You'll need to see what we found."

"Understood."

Closing the COM channel to Willis, I looked over at 'Kuatee once more. "So what's with all the blood, Atom? Covie meeting gone awry or what?"

The Elite kept his eyes in constant motion, even as he spoke. "No, Captain. This is not the work of Covenant alone. Many have joined my people in violently opposing the Prophets and their…blind _instruments_," he spat, "but such bloodshed is not the same." Atalom glanced over at Willis as he walked into the room. "You were mistaken, pilot. This indeed was a Covenant base, at one time. But now, it seems its occupants have been taken over by the parasite."

A moment of silence passed while my husband, Dandh, and I digested the information.

"So you're saying they were attacked and…overrun?" Willis asked slowly.

"Yes."

"And now we're trapped in here with 'em," I realized.

Dandh shivered. "Holy sh--"

The sergeant's expletive was drowned out by the sudden explosion in front of us.

Smoke and debris immediately enveloped the room we were in, making it both difficult to see and hard to breathe. Even with our helmets' filters working overtime, it took several seconds for them to compensate; Sergeant Dandh and I had been closest to the blast, and the two of us got back on our feet with barking coughs.

"What the hell was that?" my husband demanded.

"Brute shot round, sir!" Dandh exclaimed, crouching just behind the doorframe as he leveled his SMG. "But that sure ain't no Brute I've ever seen!"

"It's the Flood! Take up defensive positions and then let 'em have it!" I ordered. Maneuvering to the opposite side of the doorway, I joined Sergeant Dandh in loosing a long burst of gunfire before opening a channel to the rest of the team. "Enemy contacts up ahead, Marines! Let's move it up fast!"

Green acknowledgment lights winked across my HUD as I peeked over the corner again, battle rifle at the ready. The first Brute Flood Form who'd launched the grenade at us was dead now, but there were four more heading in our direction…and they were accompanied by tens of the little tentacled balloon beings.

"Do not allow the small ones to grab onto you!" 'Kuatee warned, firing his carbine down the hall from behind me. "You will become one of them."

_So _that's_ why they were trying to jump on me and Willis when we were on the ridge_, I thought.

But there was no time for reflecting at the moment. Holding the butt of my weapon tight against my shoulder, I went down on one knee and pulled the trigger five times at the oncoming monsters. A handful of the Infection Forms popped, and one of the infected Brute carcasses blew apart in chunks. Yellow fluid and cream-colored flesh splattered across the dark walls of the corridor, but the others kept right on going, completely unfazed.

"Grenade out!" Willis bellowed as I quickly ducked behind cover to reload my battle rifle. I saw him suddenly rush forward through a hail of spiker rounds and, pulling a frag from his belt, toss it at the horde of parasitic creatures. He then sprinted back to his position behind Dandh, just before his explosive detonated.

The remaining tentacle balloons disappeared in ribbony shreds, taking a couple of the larger Flood forms with them. There was a mess of Flood parts, secretions, and broken weapons along the far side of the hallway, making the concrete glisten with toxic gunk. Yet still, a second wave abruptly leapt from behind their fallen comrades and charged.

Caught by surprise, Sergeant Dandh and I didn't even have time to take cover when another Brute shot round hit right in front of us an instant later. The blast slammed me hard onto my back, and I ended up lying several feet away from the door.

For a while all I could hear was a ringing in my ears, and my sight wasn't all that great, either. In my disoriented state, I could make out the faint outline of another Marine lying on the bloody ground beside me, but I couldn't tell who it was. There were brief muzzle flashes, muffled shouts, rapid movements. Then the pain took over.

I wasn't sure if I screamed or not. All I knew was that when my eyesight finally returned, I looked down at my left thigh and there was bright red fluid spouting from it like a fire hose.

"Medic!" I heard someone yell over the general COM channel. It took my pain-filled brain a long while to figure out the voice belonged to Willis.

"Son of a _bitch_," I hissed under my breath, gritting my teeth and shutting my eyes tight against the pain. "Beesner…Beesner, this fucking hurts."

My husband's face suddenly filled my field of vision. His tinted visor was lifted, and I could see the wild panic in his gorgeous hazel eyes. "Natalie? _Natalie!_ Stay with me, Coop, stay with me!"

A few Marines dashed past him, firing their weapons at an enemy I could no longer see. I had the overwhelming urge to jump back to my feet and get into the fight, but the pain intensified tenfold when I tried to move. Needless to say, I wasn't going anywhere.

Willis ducked reflexively as a third explosion sounded further down the hall, but he kept both of his hands clamped fiercely onto my upper thigh. I could see the beads of sweat glistening on his golden brows, trickling down the sides of his face. Mixing with the crimson speckles of my blood. "Natalie? Hang in there, ok? _Doc!_"

"Yeah. Yeah," I mumbled in a low whisper. I could already feel myself getting weaker, sharp pain and waves of nausea hitting me all at once as my blood pooled around me. The last thing that went through my mind before the world disappeared was the irony of it all.

It seemed odd that I was going to die in the same way Private James Beesner had.


	32. Chapter 31: Maybe I Should Have Stayed

Author's Note: I'm back. ;-)

**

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Chapter Thirty-One: Maybe I Should Have Stayed Home**

You know how they say that when you're about to die, you see a long dark tunnel with a bright light at the end? Yeah, people are full of stories about unexplainable phenomena like that. In my own case, I didn't see a damn thing--didn't have any sensations whatsoever, in fact. I blacked out moments after the blast and that was it for me. Until I finally came around, that is.

And boy, could I feel something then.

Sharp lances of white-hot pain ripped through me like a flaming knife, and I reached for my leg out of reflex and moaned, eyes shut hard.

"Captain Cooper?" a distant voice asked. Even though I didn't answer except with more pained groaning, louder this time, the next words sounded excited and relieved. "That's it, Captain. Sarge, call the El-Tee over! Tell 'im his wife's back in the land of the living."

"Got it, Doc," a second voice replied. I heard the quick thud of boots moving down a hallway, and then, a few moments later, the noise intensified. Keeping my teeth clenched to ward off the pain, I chanced a look around to see what was going on.

If I hadn't been hurting so bad, I would have smiled: waking up to Willis's grinning face never got old as far as I was concerned.

"Damn, Cooper," he said as he crouched near my head. In lieu of a kiss, he bent to touch his forehead against mine. "You gave me the scare of a lifetime, honey," he whispered. "Actually, the _second _scare of a lifetime." His voice went low and scratchy then, and I could tell just how serious he was despite the light tone of his previous words. "You gotta stop doing this to me, Coop. I can't take it."

"S-sorry," I croaked. My throat felt dry, and I suddenly realized how thirsty I was. I tried lifting my arm to point at my husband's canteen, but my body wasn't up to the challenge just yet. "Will…"

"What, honey, what is it?"

I winced as more pain raced up my leg. "Get me...water."

Willis nodded. "You got it, Natalie." He was reaching for his canteen when Doc Reynolds intervened.

"Stop, sir!" the medic exclaimed, alarmed. Motioning for Willis to get out of the way, Reynolds quickly knelt beside me and studied my face, no doubt part of some medical check. In the meantime, my husband stood at the petty officer's prompting and folded his arms across his chest, watching.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but you can't drink after a wound like this," Petty Officer Reynolds said. "You could die." He shot Willis a look for his hasty decision before turning back to me. "You might still feel thirsty from all the blood loss, Captain, but I've already given you all the fluids your body needs at the moment in order to recuperate."

A flash of memory hit my brain once I'd digested the information: an explosion of light and sound, followed almost instantly by a shock of pain and blood. "The hell…happened to me?"

"Another grenade from a Brute shot," Willis replied above me. "Those Flood bastards were full of 'em."

"Piece of shrapnel hit your left leg, ma'am, right where the armor plating ends," Reynolds continued. "Fractured your femur and bled a helluva lot, but you got damn lucky, Captain: despite all that blood, a small branch of your femoral artery was just barely pricked, so I was able to patch it up in time. That's the good news." He sighed. "The bad news is that your leg's broken, so you won't be able to walk until we get you to a field hospital."

"_Shit_," I groaned. Now instead of leading my team, I was going to be a burden. And now that I was finally reaching a normal state of consciousness once again, that was a piece of information I simply didn't want to hear.

When I opened my eyes again, Willis was crouched next to me once more. He grabbed onto my shoulder and gave me a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, Coop, we can handle it. I've been in charge since you passed out, and Reynolds has been carrying you. Nothing like you, but we're doing all right."

I wrinkled my brow in confusion. "What?"

"You've been out for over six hours, Natalie."

_Oh, no._ God, being immobile was worse than dealing with all this stupid pain. I looked over at the medic. "Please, Doc. There's…gotta be…something else…"

The medic bit his lower lip and exchanged a tentative glance with Willis, as if wondering if he was about to say too much. Eventually, though, he sighed a second time and lowered his gaze to me. "All right. There is something I can do for you, but I don't think the lieutenant's going to like it."

"Spill."

"I splinted your leg underneath your battledress trousers and pumped your wound full of biofoam before bandaging it up, ma'am. I also injected a bone enhancer, something to keep the rest of the solid femur bone tough while also speeding up the healing process of the broken portion. Your leg should get better much faster that way, but these are all _temporary_ measures. They're reliant on the fact that you make it to a hospital soon for proper care, and get lots of bed rest."

I snorted, immediately regretting the action when my leg throbbed in protest. I had to bite my tongue until the pain passed to keep from crying out. "With the Flood everywhere…that's…highly unlikely."

"Yes, ma'am. So your choice is this: I can give you some morphine periodically and you'll be able to hobble around, but you'll aggravate and prolong your injury that way. Or we can keep going the way we have been, and you'll heal up much quicker. Which'll it be, Captain?"

I managed a grin. "See how well you know me now, Reynolds? You're giving me…options instead of telling me…what to do."

Petty Officer Reynolds grinned back. "Figured I never got very far with the latter, ma'am, so I decided to do it your way. Well?"

"First choice, of course."

Willis looked at me. "Natalie? Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'm not…staying out of this."

"Ok," he said, thankfully sounding more determined than disappointed. Turning to the medic, my husband ordered, "Do it then, Doc."

"Yes, sir."

Michael Reynolds reached for his medic's pack and pulled out the necessary tools for the injection. He expertly stuck my bare arm with morphine, then disinfected the area before replacing the pack on his shoulder. "There. That should do it, Captain. I could give you more and you'd feel a whole lot less, but you wouldn't be much use to us all drugged up."

"Thanks, Doc," I replied as Willis helped me sit up.

And that's when I felt it again, the tearing pain that, unmedicated, made it difficult to even breathe. It was still there, just like the medic said it would be, but I could also tell that it was starting to dull somewhat now. Still, walking was going to be a real bitch.

_Jesus flipping Christ_, I thought, shutting my eyes and clenching my teeth hard when my husband brought me to my feet. I knew he was doing his best to make the transition as gently as possible, but dammit if my leg didn't hurt like hell anyway.

"How're you holding up, Coop?" he asked, continuing to provide me with sturdy support while my head spun a little.

"Fine," I answered tersely. After taking a deep breath, I added, "Though I can now author an entire dictionary full of new curse words."

Willis quirked his eyebrows at me, a smirk playing across his face for just a moment before turning serious again. "Ok. Sorry, Cooper, but we're going to have to speed this up a bit. We're not quite in a nasty situation yet, but we're sure as hell getting there."

"What's going on?" I asked. I rubbed my forehead as another flash of memory came to me. "And who was the other Marine that got hit?"

"Sergeant Dandh, ma'am," Doc Reynolds answered. "He was knocked out for half an hour with a mild concussion and some deep lacerations. He's up and moving now, though. All patched up."

_Well, there's some good news_, I thought. _Now I just gotta brace myself for what Willis has to say_.

I nodded to my husband. "Give it to me straight, El-Tee."

"We haven't exactly made much progress since you took the hit, Captain," Willis said, smoothly picking up on the fact that I'd switched back to proper formalities. "Doc needed a good chunk of time to get you and the sergeant stabilized, and then this structure isn't really all that visitor-friendly. The place is a lot bigger than it looks from the outside, and there's tons of corridors that end up leading to dead-ends." He lifted a hand and scratched the stubble on his face, thoughtful. "Apparently that's where the Flood like to lie in wait, because we've pretty much only run into them there. Everything's always eerie quiet otherwise."

"Any sign of the Prophet yet?"

He shook his head. "No, ma'am. Found a few Grunt and Jackal bodies, untapped by the Flood, but nothing noteworthy." Willis pulled his helmet back on, then handed me my own along with my jacket. "So you feeling up to this?"

Shrugging back into the rest of my gear, I felt a trickle of sweat run down my spine as I struggled to keep the pain to myself; my leg didn't seem to care that heavy painkillers were now circulating through my system. I'd never wanted crutches so bad in my whole life. "Yeah," I lied. "Just gimme my rifle and we'll get moving."

After informing the team that I was back in command, I brought an end to their moment of rest and had Corporal Simmons take point as we set off. According to my husband, we still had a lot of ground to cover--though I was starting to think that our mission objective didn't even exist anymore. In the end, however, whether the premise of this so-called Covie camp had been real or invented seemed like a moot point by now. Either way, it was clear that the Flood now owned the place, and thanks to the awful weather outside, we were stuck in here until we could find some other way out.

* * *

Author's Note 2: I know the whole walking-with-a-newly-broken-leg thing seems unrealistic, but I figured they'd probably have better medical technology by the 26th century that would make it possible.


	33. Chapter 32: Veleno

"_Vivo in un incubo_ / I live in a nightmare

_Che presto mi distrugerà /_ That will soon destroy me

_Freddo, invisibile_ / Cold, invisible

_Tu mi divori l'anima /_ You devour my soul"

--"_Veleno_" / "Poison_" _by Finley

(_Original_ / My English translation)

**

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**

Chapter Thirty-Two: Veleno

One of the lessons I learned while fighting zombies was that certain things you used to think were important actually didn't count so much for them. They didn't care if you were a general or a private, a civvie or a soldier, an alien or a human. They didn't care if you were young or old, man or woman, wounded or healthy. Everyone and everything was fair game to them, as long as you had a body they could exploit. Nothing else mattered.

The thought was an interesting one. It seemed the only things that were truly equal for everyone were always undesirable commodities for _anyone_.

Clenching my fist against the sharp pain my leg was delivering, I continued hobbling down yet another corridor along with the rest of my team. Willis was walking silently beside me, keeping a discreet eye on me in case my leg crapped out without warning--which it had already done twice in the past fifteen minutes. Despite the dose of morphine Doc Reynolds had given me, the pain was getting worse and worse each time.

"Natalie?" Willis said quietly over our private channel. "Do you need to stop?"

I slung my overused battle rifle over my shoulder and held my shotgun out instead. We were working in close quarters now, and I was curious to see how a Flood form would deal with an eight-gauge shell in its torso. "No, Will," I said to my husband. "I'm not going to halt everybody just because of my stupid wound."

When Willis spoke next, I could hear the disappointment in his voice. "You're screwing up your leg, Coop; it's broken, and you're walking on it. And unless you're someone crazy like an ODST or a Spartan, you generally shouldn't do that kind of stuff."

"I don't need to be babysat, Lieutenant."

He sighed. "That's not what I--"

I gripped my weapon tighter when his voice halted abruptly. "Will…?"

"Yeah," he said quickly. "I heard that, too."

"What the hell is it? And where's it coming from?" I wondered aloud. Taking a moment to really check my surroundings, I turned on my helmet light and swept the area with my shotgun--side to side, top to bottom. But the only thing I saw was the dull gray of the structure's walls. There was nothing--at least that I could _see_--that seemed out of the ordinary.

Still, my heart rate skyrocketed when I heard the sound again, almost like a repetitive, high-pitched squeak of sorts.

It wasn't one of those noises that made it easy to express in words; there was no onomatopoeia for it, no correct categorization for this type of sound. All I knew was that it sent absolutely ice-cold shivers down my spine whenever it reached my eardrums.

"Captain!" Atalom 'Kuatee was at my side instantly. "Halt your men, now," the Elite said in an urgent tone. "The parasite will be upon us very soon."

The blood rushing in my ears was so loud, I almost didn't understand what he said.

"Simmons, stop wherever you are and maintain your position," I ordered quickly, grateful for my sudden clear-headedness. The ability to detach yourself from a situation came in handy sometimes. "The rest of you, keep your eyes and ears alert, Marines. That sound you hear appears to be the Flood, and they can come from any direction."

Once my command was issued, we had to wait what seemed like an agonizingly long time for the monstrous beings to make an appearance. In the three whole minutes my Marines and I remained stationary, without so much as even breathing most of that time, I felt certain that my body would burst from the anxiety and anticipation. And, through it all, my leg burned with white-hot pain.

Several drops of sweat rolled down my helmet-encased face before the bastards finally showed up.

It began as a loud banging against one of the airlocked doors, on the far side of the corridor in front of us. Then, all too soon, the door gave way and what seemed like millions of the little tentacled balloon things rushed out.

"Bravo, open fire!" I cried to my team.

Knowing my shotgun would be ineffectual against this many enemies, I quickly threw the weapon's strap over my shoulder and unholstered my pistol instead. The sidearm wouldn't be much better, I knew, but it was the best option available to me at present. Thankfully, Willis realized my predicament in an instant, and he immediately closed what little distance there was between us to cover me. He held his submachine gun to bear, ready to start rattling it off once the Infection Forms got too close.

Even as more Flood began to pour in from a few of the side vents, effectively surrounding us, I could make out Corporal Simmons' form far ahead of the others; she was firing her old MA5B, trying to keep the tentacle balloons from spreading past her. A couple other Marines were rapidly pulling their triggers behind her, attempting to accomplish the same feat…but it was no use.

"_Ah! Get it off, get it off!_" The urgent, bone-chilling scream drove right into my core, and I went cold all over.

"Ma'am! Simmons…she's got 'em on 'er!" Sergeant Dandh exclaimed over the channel, his voice rising in hysteria.

_Jesus Christ._

"Do _not_ fire your weapons! Use them as bludgeons to pop the things off her!" I ordered into the COM channel. The last thing I wanted was one of my own Marines killing Simmons by accident. "Everybody else, keep up the heavy fire and don't let 'em get near you!"

But that was easier said than done. The Infection Forms continued to come at us from all sides, leaking out of every single hole and crack they could find. I pulled the trigger of my pistol countless times, taking out the little creatures one by one, reloading in a panic when needed; Willis, on the other hand, kept a steady stream of lead going, destroying entire clumps of the things at a time. Shreds of tissue-paper-like material burst around us, raining down on our uniforms like confetti as more balloons took their place.

This was the most terrifying party I'd ever been to.

Slowly, though, we started beating them back. When my husband and I weren't busy being nearly consumed, I stole another glance to where Corporal Simmons was supposed to be. I couldn't see her anymore through the frenzy of Marines jumping, dodging, and firing to avoid getting Infection Forms on them, but I knew she had to be somewhere.

"Atom, when the hell is this gonna end?" I questioned. My voice sounded hysterical now, but I didn't care at this point. I wanted these things off, and I wanted out of here. Wanted my team and myself out of here so damn bad, I almost couldn't stand it.

'Kuatee suddenly appeared in front of Willis and I, his eyes wide. "End, Captain? It ends when they have taken full control of your body, transformed you into one of their warriors. Only then will they stop, will it be over."

The words sent chills down my spine, and I wished I hadn't asked. Looking over to the rest of the fight, however, I saw only a few sparse groups of the tentacle balloons left. And the last one that tried to jump on me took a bullet right down the middle, courtesy of my silenced pistol.

"Status," was the only hoarse word I managed when it was done. I staggered back against a yellow-stained wall, pain coursing through my leg as I took in rapid breaths.

Sergeant Dandh's reply was low and gruff as well. "One uh, one KIA, ma'am. Everyone else is accounted for."

Swallowing hard, I responded evenly, "Understood, Sergeant."

I hadn't noticed so much during the brief skirmish, but I suddenly felt as though I were suffocating inside my helmet. Carefully, I lifted my visor; I was in desperate need of some air, _real_ air, after what had just occurred.

That turned out to be a mistake.

As I limped over to where our latest casualty lay, my lungs were filled with the stench permeating through the hallway. There was the sickening smell of stagnant yellow Flood juice everywhere, the strange sizzle of plasma weapons' exhaust, plus human weapons' discharge. And, when I'd finally approached Corporal Simmons' corpse, the overwhelmingly fetid odor of human body fluids entered my nostrils, too.

While the myriad smells mixed and mingled as they hit my lungs, I glanced down at the corporal--the parts that I could see, at least, because Doc Reynolds was crouched over her. What I saw--coupled with what I smelled--made my stomach react immediately, and I felt like throwing up.

Corporal Rachel Simmons' entire chest cavity had been torn open, revealing a yawning hole filled with once-pulsing red fluid and organs. The young noncom's uniform was soaked in her blood, as were Reynolds' hands and the ground beneath her. Fragments of her ribs, sternum, and frontal armor stuck out at odd angles from her upper body, and, God, the look on her face…the frozen look on her face was one of complete and utter agony and terror.

I couldn't bring myself to say a single word as the medic retched beside me. Now, I added vomit to the list of unbearable smells that invaded my olfactory senses.

_Oh, God_, I thought. Unable to look away, I continued to stare at the horribly mangled remains, suddenly stuck in place. It was as though they had me in some kind of trance, and it took me a moment to realize I was in a state of shock.

We'd always known what the Flood were capable of--at least, Willis and I did, since Atalom 'Kuatee had explained it to us. Hell, we'd even seen what had happened to the Brute, near Captain Shaeffer's lines, how grotesque that Covie's body had become.

But this was different. This was an ally, this was a human, this was one of _my_ Marines. A Marine I'd served with since the campaign in the Heathan desert. She'd been there on Sigma Octanus IV as well, when the world was falling apart in Cote D'Azur. And she'd survived all of it.

Only to find death here, on Earth, in this way. The thought sickened me on some internal--and very deep--level.

After what seemed like hours (but really only several seconds), Doc Reynolds raised his head a bit and turned away from where he'd puked. I watched, still silent, as he rinsed out his mouth with water from his canteen, and then he finally spoke. His voice sounded raw, and he didn't look away from the body, either.

"She uh, she lost bowel control when the thing pierced her, Captain," the petty officer said in a strangled tone. "That's why the floor's so slick, even where there's no blood."

Startled, I tore my gaze away from the corpse and glanced down at my combat boots. _Huh_, I thought to myself. _How did I miss these puddles?_ I'd been so engrossed in the carnage, I hadn't even noticed.

"We must move forward, Captain, before the parasite returns."

The Elite was beside me all of a sudden, and I could see my husband jogging up as well.

"Oh, Christ," Willis breathed when he saw Simmons. Lucky for him, he had the strength and will power to look away instantly. "Come on, Cooper, let's go. This is awful."

Ignoring him for a moment, I turned to the Elite instead. One of the Marines from my former platoon had just died a gruesome death, and I wanted answers. It took me a moment to finally find my voice again, though. "Atom, what…how could…how does this happen?" I swallowed and tried for coherency again. "What is it exactly that the Flood do to…take over their hosts?"

'Kuatee sighed. "As I have stated before, I do not have a great expanse of knowledge on such subjects, Captain. I can say, however, that this is very curious. In humans, it is easier for the parasite to penetrate the spinal column."

"Faster and more direct access to the central nervous system," Doc Reynolds remarked in an automated voice. "That's probably what they need in order to take us over, right?"

Atalom nodded once. "I cannot be certain, but it is more than plausible."

"Damn, these bastards are smart," Willis commented. He looked at Corporal Simmons' body again, then quickly turned to Atalom. "Is it possible the things were aiming for her heart?"

Reynolds glanced up with a raised eyebrow. "You think they were trying to put her in cardiac arrest, sir? Why?"

Willis shrugged. "I'm not sure, Doc. Just throwing in my two cents. Coop?"

"Oh, no," I said, shaking my head at my husband. "I can't even fathom the how or the why, El-Tee." Bringing my shotgun down off my shoulder, I sighed and pulled my faceplate down once more. "But, in any case, we should get moving. Like Atom said, they'll be back, and we can't afford to linger." It wasn't like any of us knew the real reason, anyway, so what was the point in speculating? I'd rather spend the time trying to finish the mission, and then get out of here--alive. This place was not where I wanted to be, now or ever again.

I did, however, allow myself one last glance at Simmons as Reynolds pulled off her bloody dogtags. God, I couldn't believe what her body had been reduced to, and in such a short amount of time, too. It was in this moment that I realized just how lucky I'd been back on the ridge, when an Infection Form had latched onto my own chest. Jesus, if I hadn't caught it _right away_, I'd…I would've been this.

Shuddering, I took a deep breath to reign in the emotions and opened a channel to the team. "Let's keep going, Marines; this isn't over yet. Follow me." I hefted my shotgun as I took point, and Willis walked beside me with his SMG. I knew that after what we'd seen, and knowing I was wounded pretty badly, he wasn't going to let me out of his sight anymore.

It was as I was turning my back on Simmons' ravaged body that I finally saw them coming. Tens of Flood forms were suddenly rushing toward us in the darkness ahead, and they weren't only Infection Forms this time. Most were huge and vaguely Brute-like--Brutes consumed by the parasite. Others were coming down the corridor behind them, bulbous creatures that shuffled forward a bit at a time.

My throat went dry, and the powerful urge to hurl was almost overwhelming. I wasn't sure how I managed to even speak, let alone keep my voice steady, but I did. "Marines, we've got Flood at twelve o'clock!" I shouted into the radio. "If you're near the front, get on one knee and engage! If you're in back, move up and fire above their heads! Let's _go_!"

Willis was the first to comply as he crouched next to me, then rapidly loosed a burst of submachine gun rounds at the advancing Flood. In the meantime, I took advantage of his cover fire and pulled a frag grenade from my web belt.

"Fire in the hole!" I yelled, tossing the explosive toward the freak creatures. Then, gritting my teeth so hard my jaw hurt, I lowered myself onto the ground, good leg up. The pain wasn't unlike what I'd experienced other times I'd had to work with broken bones, but it was still awfully harsh and searing; for a single fleeting moment, it consumed both my body and my mind, making me forget about the enemy before us.

When I opened my eyes again, the Flood were nearly on us; I saw that my grenade had detonated, but I couldn't for the life of me remember hearing the explosion. All I knew was that some of their yellow liquid was now splattered against the walls, and I could see the creatures in that area hurdling over the bodies.

My husband had taken care of the small number of Infection Forms, but these larger beings looked far more daunting. I aimed my shotgun at one of the Brute forms that had suddenly leapt in front of me, then squeezed the trigger. _I sure hope this'll be effective_, I thought.

And boy, was it ever.

The single shotgun blast blew off the beast's entire shoulder--or what passed for one, at least--and sent it staggering backwards. Though surprised at my newfound firepower, I didn't waste time on marveling over my weapon just yet; I fired another shell into its abdomen, pleased to find the same results. And only one more shell finished it off.

_Holy shit, _I thought, a small grin forming beneath my helmet. _I just killed a Flood form with three rounds of my shotgun, when it would have taken me four whole _bursts_ of my BR to bring it down. Why didn't I think of this before?_

While the task of getting out of the Flood-infested Covenant camp alive still seemed incredibly difficult, it no longer felt completely hopeless…or impossible.

I quickly trained my miracle weapon on the next form, this time one of the bulbous ones that waddled. Much to my utter shock, the thing burst like a giant balloon as soon as I fired, the sound and air blast not at all unlike a non-lethal grenade's. I fell hard on my back, but luckily my leg took it pretty well; the pain was present in excess, but not intolerably so. My anxiety was quick to return, however, when I saw what emerged from the ribbony shreds.

More Infection Forms.

Willis reacted so fast I almost didn't even see them; one second he was firing on one of the Brute forms, and the next he'd aimed his gun at the poppers, making them disappear in one sustained burst of gunfire.

"We have to move, Will," I said to him over our private channel. "If we stay here, they'll only keep us pinned until the secondary wave shows up; we'll never get past this point."

"Yeah, I'd figured that, too," he replied. "But the corridor's too narrow, and they're crowding it. How're you thinking of thinning out the masses?"

"Got a couple grenades?" I asked as I pulled the trigger of my shotgun once more. Another bulbous thing burst directly in front of me, and some of the Marines behind us got the tentacle balloons.

Meanwhile, my husband checked his web belt. "Yeah. I've got exactly two plasma 'nades left, Coop."

"Give 'em to me," I said before I switched channels. "Bravo, listen up. I want everyone to form on me, and get ready to run like hell when I say 'go'. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!" came the immediate response.

"Good. Then get to it, Marines." After bringing down another Brute form, I jammed my hand into my cargo pockets and started putting new shells in as quickly as I could; Willis and the Marines behind me covered me while I reloaded. When I was done, I cocked the shotgun and looked at my husband.

"The grenades, Will. I need them."

He risked turning his faceplate in my direction before handing them over. "Natalie, what is it that you have in mind, exactly?"

"Something I tested out on Heath." I smirked inside my helmet, sad he couldn't see it. "Don't worry, you'll find out in a sec, honey."

Suddenly bringing my shotgun to bear, I fired a shell at yet another Brute Flood form, stopping it long enough for Willis to finish the job with ease. Then, I returned my attention to the three grenades in my hands; I'd added one of my own frags to the mix. "Is everyone ready?"

As usual, the green acknowledgment lights appeared promptly on my HUD.

I nodded to myself and quietly activated the two plasma grenades; once Willis saw the glowing blue light brightening the darkness, he turned sharply to me again.

"Cooper, what the hell are you--!" he cried, but then his voice was drowned out by the terrific explosion at the end of the hall. Even the walls shook.

"Go!" I bellowed over the COM.

My leg screamed at me when I rushed into the melee, but I forced myself to keep moving anyway. After seeing what had happened to Corporal Simmons, and even the Brutes that had actually been fully taken over by the Flood, I wasn't about to let myself become one of them. It was a lot more frightening being here amongst the creatures, though, and they were certainly much bigger than I'd thought earlier. They towered over both Willis and I, and neither of us were short by human standards: he was six-one, I was five-six.

And I also had to be more careful who I shot at now, because we were all in it together.

I heard Willis's gun going off non-stop somewhere nearby, but right now I was surrounded by a wall of dead Flood bodies--brought down by my triple-blast grenade--and horrifyingly large, extremely active live ones. If it weren't for the fact that I had my shotgun, I'd be screwed.

The first Flood form to lunge at me was clearly a former Brute, and it whirled on me hard and fast with its flailing limbs. Ducking beneath a left-sided slap, I was suddenly in the perfect position to drive the barrel of my shotgun into its lower abdomen and pull the trigger.

The thing immediately let out a strangled shriek, moving back a little without retreating. Instead, it turned on me even faster; I didn't have time to get out of the way, so I simply fired my weapon at its oncoming limb.

Oddly, other than letting out another wailing moan, the creature didn't appear to notice as a part of itself sailed into the chaos around us. It decided to keep up its assault, sounding angered. And that was fine by me, because the closer the Flood form got to me, the more powerful my shotgun blast would be. One more well-placed shell was all it took, and I breathed in a sigh of relief.

My senses finally returned once the former Brute was dead, and the abrupt overload made me light-headed. Adrenaline was coursing through me as my leg throbbed, and I found myself out of breath from the brief, though intense, fight. But, as often occurs in combat, there was no time for me to recover. A second Flood form was already on its way towards me, and I raised my shotgun to fend it off…except then my gloved fingers slipped across the surface of the weapon. Curious, I glanced down.

_Oh, shit_. I was covered in the Flood's nasty-smelling fluid from the waist up. Great.

Growing increasingly disgusted by the second, I gripped my shotgun tighter and fired the gun at the waddler before me. It popped into slivers of cream-colored flesh, like always…and then a handful of Infection Forms leapt out at my face.

"Dammit!" I knew my shotgun wasn't going to do a lot against small, individual targets, but I didn't have even the few seconds needed for me to grab my pistol.

After a split-second of panic, I let instinct take over. Taking the barrel of my weapon in both hands, I swung it like a bat at the tentacled balloons, praying they'd disappear. I wasn't entirely convinced that what I was doing would actually work, but, it was the best I had to work with for now.

And sure enough, once I'd completed the motion, I saw that the pouncing bastards had indeed erupted into party supplies. _All right, _I thought to myself as I dodged another random jumper. _Two down, half a dozen more to go. Then maybe we can finally move on, finish up, and get back into the real world. _Because so far, the creepy zombie stuff just wasn't doing it for me--and neither had been watching one of my comrades die by getting her chest cracked open.

We continued fighting the Flood, in tight quarters, for what seemed like another four hours; in reality, though, it was probably closer to four minutes. Still, the grand difference in elapsed time didn't change the fierce exhaustion that came when it was all over. I wanted to press my back against the bloodstained walls, slowly slide myself to the ground, and just sit there for a while.

_Two dead already, _I thought, looking out at the remainder of the team scattered nearby. _West and Simmons. And Jesus, the _way_ they died…_

Unfortunately--or perhaps fortunately--I didn't have the time to dwell on that now. I still had a team to command, a mission to complete, and a company to go back to once we got out; I refused to even let myself think the word _if_. I didn't care how, or when, or where, or by what means…but I vowed I would get the rest of my Marines out of here alive.

Taking a deep breath inside my helmet, I wiped some of the Flood gore off various parts of my uniform, then shifted my weapon over to my left hand before addressing everyone. "Good work, Marines. We lost someone else, sadly, but…we have to keep up our advance. The sooner we get our Prophet and find an exit, the sooner we can get back to the rest of Bravo. Lance Corporal Lincoln?"

"Yes, ma'am!" the young soldier answered.

"You're up at point, Lance Corporal." Seeing that Willis had stepped beside me now, I let out a heavy sigh of relief. Now that I saw that he'd escaped unscathed, as well, I could finally breathe again. "Ok, let's move it out quickly, Marines. Before more of those things show up."


	34. Chapter 33: Isolated

Author's Note: Hey, so here's a fresh update just in time for Christmas! ;-) Sorry about my updates being so few and far between lately, but college has been devouring most of my time. I'm on winter break now, though, so hopefully I can get some chapters done for you guys. Thanks for sticking with it, and please review! I'd love to know if you're still reading/enjoying. ;-)

And Happy Holidays everybody!

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Chapter Thirty-Three: Isolated

I ordered a halt shortly after our last run-in with the Flood, hoping to get at least a few minutes of relative peace for my Marines and myself. What I found instead, however, was that the quiet and stillness of the room we presently inhabited was almost unbearable; after hearing the sounds the strange new alien creatures made, each silent moment only made my anxiety rise.

Waiting had always been one of the hardest things about being in the Corps, of being in combat. But waiting for the zombie monsters to come back was different, and in so many ways. We all knew the parasite would return, that we hadn't eliminated all---or even most---of the Flood in the structure. Hell, maybe we hadn't even gone through most of the former Covie encampment itself, though I couldn't imagine it being much bigger. After nearly seven hours in the place, I thought there was a good chance that my team and I had covered the vast majority of it. Yet still, there was no sign of that God-forsaken Prophet…and I was nearly one hundred percent convinced that it had never existed in the first place.

Sometimes it was difficult to not let frustration get the best of you, but I had to keep my own feelings in check. In a place like this, with the enemies we faced, the ten Marines currently under my command were counting on me more than ever to get us out in one piece. And my husband and son were counting on me, too.

Once I'd exchanged a few encouraging words with each team member, I sat down beside Willis and lightly tapped his chest. He had his visor lifted despite the rancid air, much like the rest of us, and so I saw the startled expression flash across his face at the touch.

"It's ok, Will," I said quietly, completely understanding his skittish behavior. "It's just me."

Willis let out a long breath, but still managed to give me a small smile after a moment. "I know, Coop." He slipped his hand into the shadow between us, finding my own and grasping it tightly. "Don't worry, we'll get out of this. How's your leg?"

I gritted my teeth as I shifted it to a more comfortable position. "Bearable."

Doc Reynolds had just given me another shot of morphine, so all was relatively well on the leg front. The only thing that bothered me was the look on the petty officer's face when he'd administered the drug; I knew he hadn't packed a lot to begin with, and if we were to find ourselves trapped in here for much longer, the painkiller would eventually run out. And if that happened, I would no longer be able to walk.

_Don't think about that, Cooper, _I thought to myself. _Deal with what you've got in front of you first. You can figure everything else out later._

"We should probably get going soon," I mused aloud to Willis. Stealing a quick glance at my helmet, which rested on the concrete ground to my right, I used my free hand to pull out the two pictures I always carried with me. My husband watched, curious, until I'd brought them out and he could see what they were. "But I…thought this would be a good way to help keep us going."

One of the photos was the same one of Gabe I'd had on Sigma Octanus, the image that had kept me focused and motivated during the battle in Cote D'Azur. It was almost like my lucky charm now. The second was newer, a family picture of me, Will, and Gabe when I'd been home on leave in St. Louis. That was the one Willis pointed to.

He pulled an identical copy from his breast pocket, underneath his armor. The only difference was that his was reddish, and I didn't even have to ask why to know the answer. I tried my best not to think about it.

"Had this taped to my cockpit the whole time I was flying, Cooper," Willis said to me. "From the day the Covies attacked to the day Alex died. And after that, I've always kept this here with me." His gaze lingered on Gabe. "Jesus, Natalie. I really miss my kid."

"I know. So do I." A lump started to form in my throat at his words, and I squeezed my husband's hand hard. "That's what we're finally going to get back to one day, Will. Our son, our little Gabriel." I thought of the Flood, and how if we were lucky, we could at least destroy a small pocket of them here. "We won't ever let anything like this touch him."

* * *

Shortly before we moved on, I ordered Doc Reynolds to give what was left of our group---save 'Kuatee, of course---some stims to help keep us sharp and alert. Not that I thought it was possible for anyone to fall asleep in this type of environment, but I wanted to make sure my Marines at least maintained the necessary reaction time to deal with the Flood. Because if even one of them latched onto you, you had to be damn quick to get them off. I'd gotten lucky on the ridge; Corporal Simmons hadn't.

The next ten minutes were awful. As my team and I moved deeper through the structure, with Lance Corporal Lincoln still at point, we encountered a number of bloodied rooms, all empty and silent. Once again, the bodies were strangely missing, and I wondered where these fresh Covenant Flood forms had gone.

"Atom, you used to be a Covie," I said to him while he marched alongside me. "Where would you go if you'd just been consumed by the parasite?"

The Elite scoffed in disgust. "Do not make foolish inquiries, human. One of the natural skills of the parasite is that it knows how to effectively propagate itself. It makes excellent use of clever tactics to envelop a potential host."

Sergeant Dandh gripped his submachine gun as he fell into step to my left. He furrowed his brow. "Meaning?"

"Stealth, Sergeant," I answered. Pointing the business end of my shotgun toward one of the vents, I continued, "They'll use any dark nook and cranny they can find, and then they'll just wait there until somebody shows up. Easy catch."

"Most," Atalom 'Kuatee corrected. "Others simply roam the area and actively search for sentient life."

Dandh shivered and turned his faceplate in my direction. "Either way, this place gives me the fucking creeps like nothing else, Captain. I mean, look at what happened to Simmons…damn. Never seen anything like it. Bad as the Covies are, least they never did that kinda shit to nobody. And…ma'am?"

"Wait one, Sergeant."

Something wasn't right. I switched channels and radioed Lincoln, ordering her to halt the team. I thought I could hear…some kind of sound up ahead, but it wasn't exactly like the Flood. To be honest, I wasn't really sure what it was. All I knew was that in light of the conversation we were having with the Elite, I didn't want to take the chance that my whole team might get caught in an ambush. So I decided that Dandh and I would be the ones to check it out first. "Marines, hold here for a minute. Dandh, you're on me, now. Let's go."

Sergeant Dandh and I moved slowly down the hallway, me in front with my shotgun, Dandh watching our flanks and six with his SMG. Unlike the room we'd stopped in for a break, this corridor contained no lights except for the small ones on our helmets; it was the perfect place for the Flood to attack.

I concentrated hard on keeping my breathing steady, even as I swept the blackness before me with only my pinpoint of light and my weapon. Nothing had appeared on my HUD so far, and ditto my motion tracker…but I could still hear that weird noise, and it was more than a little unnerving.

"Dandh, switch to nightvision," I whispered over the COM. "I'm going to test out IR, see if these bastards have any thermal signatures we can lock onto."

"Yes, ma'am," the sergeant replied.

It was just as I was tapping the side of my helmet to make the switch, however, that I turned my head to see three airlocked doors in front of Dandh and I. One was straight down the hall a ways, and the other two branched off on either side, closer to us.

Sergeant Dandh stopped behind me when he saw them. "Which one first, Captain?"

Pausing a moment to listen, I thought I heard the muffled sound coming from one of the doors closest to us. I gestured with my shotgun in that direction, since I knew Dandh could see me now. "The one on the right. Remember to stay tight and take it slow, Sergeant. We have no idea what's in there."

A green light winked on my heads-up display. He knew what to do.

Much to my surprise, the door slid open easily once I approached, and I was glad to have Dandh on my six; the first thing I saw when I swept the room with my light was blood. The stuff was splattered erratically inside the room, much like the one we'd seen when we'd entered the former Covenant camp---but that wasn't what was remarkable in this case. This time, it wasn't violet or orange or even blue blood. All of it was dark red.

It was _human_ blood.

Since my vision was limited to what my headlamp illuminated, I turned to Sergeant Dandh. "What do you see, Dandh? Any hostiles or anything?"

"No, ma'am. The room's clear."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, Captain. It's not a whole lot bigger than the space we're currently occupying."

I nodded slowly, still in a bit of shock from my discovery. "Then switch back to normal vision. You need to see this."

"Oh, holy shit," Dandh said a second later. "Ma'am, what do you---?"

"I don't know, Sergeant. But this is what Lieutenant Hawk was telling me all along."

"What, ma'am?"

"That the Flood were possibly keeping human prisoners here." There was definitely enough room to keep a half dozen people bunched up in the room. The only question was, how did that make any rational sense in regards to the Flood and their habits? And where the hell were these people now?

Fearing that I already knew the answer to that last question, I took in a deep breath and opened a channel to Willis. "Will, I need you up here right away. There's something I want you to check out, but bring 'Kuatee with you. I don't want you coming alone in case company arrives, and maybe you two can figure this out together."

"Yes, ma'am," my husband responded quickly. "But uh, Coop? If you don't mind my asking, what did you find?"

"I think I might've found proof for your theory, Lieutenant. Just get up here, double time. I'm sending the map to your HUD now with the first room on the right highlighted."

"Understood, Captain."

After closing the connection, I took one last look at the empty, red-blood-stained walls of the room and looked at Dandh. "All right, there's nothing else to see here. If there _were_ prisoners, then I'm almost one hundred percent sure all that blood means they're just more Flood now, anyway. This isn't exactly what I was looking for, but it's a start. Let's go to the next one."

Stepping back out into the hallway, I cringed as my leg reminded me it was still there and very much unhealed. Because of it, I wasted precious seconds wondering when the searing pain was going to finally subside, and so I didn't really notice much before me until the bullet hit the side of my chestplate.

Modern UNSC Marine Corps armor was able to withstand a lot more than the impact of a mere bullet, but the force of the pointblank shot still sent me crashing to the ground with the wind knocked out of me. Dandh would have been the recipient of the second shot, too, if he hadn't moved a fraction of an inch away before it was fired.

"Get the fuck away from me!" I heard a woman scream while I tried desperately to breathe again. The pain coming from my leg was almost literally blinding me, as well. "You're not going to turn me into one of those things! _You're not_! I won't let you!"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down!" Sergeant Dandh yelled, visibly torn between wanting to help me and trying to keep the woman from killing us. "We're UNSC Marines, lady! You just shot my CO!"

Air finally entered my lungs then, and I lay there supine on the floor, gasping for oxygen and groaning in pain while Dandh attempted to get a handle on the situation.

"No, no! You're lying! You're both just a…a hallucination. Yeah, that's it…a hallucination…"

"Ma'am, it's ok now. We're here to help you. Just please, put the gun down and let me get help for my CO."

"I'm…I'm fine, Dandh," I managed to rasp over the COM channel. Since we were both wearing our helmets, I didn't have to worry about the nutcase listening in. "Just…feel like somebody punched me hard in the ribs." Really, really, _really_ hard. "You concentrate on calming her down, don't worry about me."

"But Captain---"

"That's an order, Sergeant." I started to get up, slowly and cautiously, but hit the ground again when pain jolted through my side. Looks like that shot was going to leave a helluva bruise.

Despite my injured ribs and leg pain, though, I was able to return to my feet on the second attempt. Holding onto my side with one hand, I slung my shotgun over my shoulder with the other and finally got a good look at the woman.

I was beyond shocked when I noticed that she was wearing a UNSC Naval uniform…and one with the clear markers of a spook, no less. The confused and terrified lieutenant commander before me was definitely an ONI operative.

_Huh? What the hell is the Office of Naval Intelligence doing here?_ I wondered.

"You…you're UNSC Marines, you said?" the spook asked suspiciously. Apparently, Dandh's latest reassurances and even my rapid recovery were helping to settle her down.

"Yes, ma'am," Sergeant Dandh confirmed.

The ONI woman continued to stare, magnum leveled, but appeared to be considering the news. Encouraged, I stepped forward with my hands up to keep her pacified.

"Sergeant Dandh's right, ma'am. We're not the Flood, and we're not here to take you to them. We just want to get out of here, same as you."

Again, the woman seemed to weigh my words carefully. "All right, prove it. Identify yourselves."

"Yes, ma'am. I'm Captain Natalie Cooper of the 603rd, UNSC Marines. I'm the company commander of Bravo in the 102nd Battalion. And this is Sergeant Trevor Dandh, squad leader of first squad, first platoon." Though the spook finally appeared to be getting it, I pulled my dogtags out from underneath my shirt and showed them to her. "If you don't believe me, read it."

She stared at me for a moment, as if wondering whether or not to trust me. Then she took my tags in her hand and glanced at them before nodding. "Captain Natalie McKenzie Cooper, UNSC Marines." She suddenly let go of the tags and gave me a half-hearted wry grin. "We have the same blood type, I see."

I didn't answer, but simply tucked my dogtags back into my shirt and looked at her.

The ONI officer lowered her weapon then. "All right, Captain. You've been proven legitimate." She stuck out her hand, and I carefully shook it. "Lieutenant Commander Stephanie Glorio, Office of Naval Intelligence. Damn, you have no idea how great it is to finally see a friendly face." The spook turned away for a moment. "One that isn't so horribly twisted with madness that you can't even recognize who they are anymore. We shouldn't stay here too long. They'll be back."

I nodded slowly, still feeling the effects of the almost-gunshot wound. "Yes, ma'am. I'll order the rest of my team to come up here now."

When I had finished, the lieutenant commander spoke again. "I apologize to both of you---especially you, Captain Cooper---for my hostile behavior a moment ago. But if you'd been through what my team and I had, and with those…_nightmarish things_ running all over, lurking around every corner…I think you can appreciate my 'shoot first, ask questions later' policy."

_Yeah, easy for you to say, _I thought sourly. _You're not the one who took a friendly bullet to your stomach just now. _But in a way, I also understood her sentiments on the Flood. Although I'd told my own Marines countless times not to get too jumpy so that they accidentally shot one another, I knew what that complete and utter terror felt like in the heat of the moment. I knew how it had a tendency to take over, how survival became your number one priority. No matter what.

"I'll live, ma'am," was all I replied.

She sighed then. "Right. Captain Cooper, I know you're the Marines who were sent here as part of Operation Everest, and I do want to fill you in on the details of what's really going on in this place. But until we find a secure location, this isn't the time to stand and chitchat. Once your men arrive, I want us on the march again immediately."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And until we get topside, I'm giving you tactical command, Cooper. If you got this far, then it seems you and your Marines know what you're doing far better than I."

Though a bit puzzled, I nodded. "Yes, Commander." I glanced at that one last room, still looming ahead of us. "Ma'am, with your permission, I'd like to have the area secure before we continue."

"Of course, Captain."

"Thank you, Commander." I turned to Dandh. "Sergeant, stay with the lieutenant commander. The rest of the team is coming up on your six, so check your fire if you hear sounds in that direction. I'm also going to send 'Kuatee over to you, and he'll be coming from the other room we cleared. You are all to stay here until I return. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. I'll be back in a sec then."

It took me less than a minute to go back down the hall to meet up with Willis and 'Kuatee, and then send the Elite on his way to Dandh and the spook. Thankfully, the darkness kept the bullet-made dent in my armor from being seen, so I didn't have to explain to my husband why I occasionally had to press a hand to my side. Damn, it wasn't anything near like the other, real wounds I'd received in combat---or even my leg---but it still hurt.

"Hawk, before we get back to the others, I want you to come with me," I said to Willis when we were alone. "We're gonna go clear the far room."

"Got it," he answered, bringing his SMG to bear once more. "Did you find what you went after?"

"Kind of. The sound I heard was actually what I thought was a crazy woman, trapped inside the other room. But then she turned out to be an ONI spook instead. She says she knows we're here for Operation Everest." I frowned. "I thought Major Phillips said Everest was top secret."

"It is," my husband answered. "But he also said an ONI team was going to be sent ahead of us to collect intel, didn't he? I'm willing to bet the spook you found was a part of that."

We stopped in front of the door to the last room in the corridor, and it slid open, just like the other two. Willis and I aimed our weapons at the opening, but nothing came out.

_Makes it almost too easy, _I thought to myself as I took a look around. _Why would the Flood bother with prisoners if they could be free to go in and out as they please? It doesn't make sense that the doors are left unlocked. Unless…_

"Will?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you and 'Kuatee come up with anything in that first room? The one with all the human blood?"

"Not much, Coop. I think my prisoner theory stands, though I'm still not quite sure how to fit all the pieces together. We'll have to keep---"

My blood ran cold as I saw it, too. "Oh, God…" I croaked.

It was dark and hard to see, and the bloody and mangled nature of the corpse before us made it all the more difficult to recognize. But I knew that face, and Willis knew it as well.

He'd been terrible, the black stain of my past. The one who'd beaten me on a regular basis for no particular reason at all, or exaggerated real ones. The one who'd ultimately landed me in the hospital with serious injuries...but also the one who'd ultimately led me straight into my future husband's arms.

_Oh, Christ. _The body lying in yet another red-stained room was that of Ethan Ackerson. _He'd_ been one of the Naval officers on Lieutenant Commander Glorio's ONI team.

_Holy shit._

As much as I'd cursed and hated my abusive ex-boyfriend since the day he'd left me in the hospital, I'd never wanted something like this for him. I'd never wish something like this on _anyone_…

Willis's hands were suddenly on my shoulders, silently supporting me. But the lump in my throat was already starting to throb.

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

We stood there without saying a word for several moments, and it was my husband who finally broke the silence. He squeezed my shoulders and let out a heavy sigh.

"You loved him, didn't you?" Willis asked quietly.

I didn't answer for a long time, contemplating the question before shaking my head. I swallowed hard and said, "I…thought I did, once. But then I got to know his true self." Turning away towards Willis then, I lowered the barrel of my weapon and faced him. "He wasn't the one for me, Will. He never was. It was always you."

For some strange reason, that was the first time I truly felt defeated. I'd seen too much of the horrific Flood already, too much of the constant combat and pain and grief and fear of war, to realistically think that we would be able to get out of here alive.

"I just can't believe we're meant to end like this," I whispered, looking back at the body. It didn't seem fair, that with a young son waiting for us at home, and hopes and dreams for a bigger family and a better, safer future, that we were just going to get holed up somewhere in here and die. Or, worse yet, become one of the Flood's God-forsaken "hosts". Why was life always unfair that way?

But I knew Willis. He wouldn't give up, and he'd never stop fighting. Even if I fell apart, he'd always be there to put me back together again. As long as I had him, and as long as he was still around, then I could keep going, too.

Sure enough, his bulky armored arms were gripping my shoulders again in an instant. And once we were facing each other, he touched his helmet to mine.

"This isn't the end of the road for us, Coop. We can still do this. We can still fight our way out of here and help kick the Covies back to their homeplanet. But regardless of whether things go sour or not...I love you, Natalie."

"I love you, too," I said, and I hoped to God they weren't going to be the last words we ever said to each other.


	35. Chapter 34: For All the Right Reasons

**Chapter Thirty-Four: For All the Right Reasons**

**0310 Hours, October 5, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Caged Animal," Planet Earth. Day Fifty-Six of the Invasion of Earth**

There was something my older sister Jenna once said to me that stood out in my mind now. It was difficult for me to think about it sometimes, as she'd been killed in action just a few years ago. I missed her a lot, especially times like this, when I remembered all the helpful advice she'd given me over the years. _Don't push Mom's buttons_, she used to tell me when we were kids. _Train hard and do your best, you'll need the skills when you're in combat, _she told me while I was at the Academy. _Satisfy your man, and he'll satisfy you, _she'd said to me with a smirk the day I'd married Willis.

But that wasn't all I was thinking about at the moment. It was what she'd said to me when I'd spoken to her after my very first campaign.

I was still just a second lieutenant then, but I definitely wasn't green anymore; at barely twenty-one years old, I'd seen the death of countless friends and comrades in the ten months I'd spent on the lines on Coristal, fighting Covenant. Like most soldiers, my baptism of fire had left me thoroughly changed, and I'd needed some help adjusting at first. So I decided to have a talk with my veteran big sister.

I remembered the way Jenna's face looked over the videolink: her expression was hard and serious, but her eyes were rueful and soft. "Keep your priorities straight, Natalie, and focus on the meaningful stuff. You have your husband, Willis, who loves you like crazy even though the war's keeping you apart right now. You've got us, your siblings: me, Allison, Travis, and Mark. Then there's Mom. Someday, especially when you have a kid of your own like me, you'll see how important that support system can be."

She paused, and I remember her face had changed. I hadn't understood it at the time; Gabriel hadn't even been a passing thought in my mind then, wouldn't even be conceived for over a year. But I definitely knew what she meant now.

"Don't ever get jaded, Coop," she'd said next. "No matter what you see, no matter what happens, don't lose hope. That's how people gradually start to give up inside, and that's how they eventually get killed. I know the fighting is tough, but it's worth it. It's worth it to save the people you love, to protect your species." I watched her take in a shaky breath then, but her voice never faltered. "It's worth it to give your child a better future, Natalie. Remember that."

I'd lived by those words ever since. I'd thought them over and over in my head, realizing how true they were once my own son was born. I'd do absolutely anything for him, like any good mother should, and that meant I'd keep fighting for him, too. For as long and as hard as I had to, I'd keep going for Gabe.

But the Flood was something so beyond what we'd been trained to deal with it was almost laughable. The evidence was staring me in the face as I stepped up to Ethan's torn and bloody corpse.

Willis stiffened behind me, holding his SMG tight but keeping the barrel pointed to the ground. "What are you doing, Cooper?"

"Grabbing his tags," I answered evenly while I crouched beside Ethan. "Even this bastard deserves that much."

It was so much harder to take in the scene from this close. My ex-boyfriend's face was covered in dried, red-black blood, like most of his uniform. His short brown hair was also matted with the stuff, and his legs were positioned at odd angles; it looked like his right shoulder was dislocated as well. The only strange thing, however, was that he didn't bear much of a resemblance to Corporal Simmons' level of deformity. He had a couple of huge gashes, one on his shoulder and the other on his shin, but no raw, gaping chest wound like her. I wondered if the Flood had tried to tap into his spine, like Doc Reynolds and Atalom 'Kuatee had hypothesized…and why it hadn't worked.

Willis's suddenly harsh voice interrupted my thoughts. "You don't owe him anything, Natalie. He already got what he deserves---right there."

I snorted. "Don't I know it. If anything, the son of a bitch owes _me_." Still, it just wasn't right to ignore this type of military courtesy. Ethan was dead now, and I'd gotten over what he'd done to me a long time ago. There was no reason to hate him so fiercely anymore.

It was unnerving as hell to lean over him and unhook his dogtags, especially since they were still slick with his blood when I finally got them off. And seeing him like this, a mutilated victim of the Flood…well, I hadn't seen him since the three of us were teenagers, and this was one helluva way to reunite.

More than anything else, however, it was the smell that did me in. Copper and torn flesh tinged with Flood juice wasn't exactly pleasing to the senses, and so my long-suffering stomach finally ended up revolting. I barely managed to pop the seal on my helmet before I puked.

"Cooper!" Willis was beside me in a flash, worry saturating his words. "Honey, are you ok?"

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry," I said to him, even though I was still hunched over and feeling miserable. "It's those pills Doc gave us. Stims make me sick."

My husband tilted his faceplate at me. "You're sure that's all it is?"

_Well, that and the freaking dead guy next to us! _I thought to myself. "Yeah, I'm sure. I can never keep 'em down the first time." After rinsing out my mouth with some water from my canteen, I took a long swig and replaced my helmet. "We should get back to the others, Will. We've only been gone a couple minutes, but in here that's an eternity. I don't want anybody getting worried."

"All right." Willis took in a deep breath and sighed. Knowing it would be painful for me to get back to my feet alone, he slipped an arm around me and helped me up. "Good to go?"

"Yeah, thanks. My leg's actually holding up for once. Not that it doesn't hurt, of course, but I think I'm starting to handle it a little better now."

With that, I hefted my shotgun once more and placed Ethan's dogtags into one of my cargo pockets. There was nothing left to do for him, and I had my Marines to attend to; I'd already wasted enough time in here as it was.

I didn't even hear a single sound when we turned to go, and I didn't expect one, either. Yet before Willis and I took just three more steps, that strange, awful Flood noise returned. It reverberated well across the small room, making it harder than usual to pinpoint its source. Without a word, my husband and I targeted our weapons and lights at the airlocked door in an instant, ready for an attack.

But I never saw it coming, and neither did Willis…because it came from behind.

The crazed warble that emerged from Ethan's dead mouth was the only warning the two of us received. With his warped head and limbs hanging abnormally off the rest of his trunk, Ethan suddenly bounded at Willis in one short leap. Then, before either of us had a chance to react, the Flood-Ethan flung what was once his arm at my husband's torso. Willis let out a shocked gasp as he was hit, and while I watched in horror, Ethan proceeded to launch him clear across the room. I heard Willis land with a loud bang against the opposite bulkhead, but I couldn't see that far with my light.

And what really scared me was that I didn't hear him make a single grunt or groan. He was simply silent.

"Willis!" I yelled.

In the same second, I leveled my gun at Ethan so fast I didn't even blink. It hurt to have to do this to him, even knowing what he'd done in the past and what he'd turned into now. But there weren't any other options, and I knew I had to get to Willis quick. I pulled the trigger as I brought the weapon up, and the first huge slug blew Ethan's arm clear off.

"Sorry," I said aloud to him. I knew he couldn't hear me, that this Flood-infected corpse in front of me wasn't really the Ethan I'd once known anymore, and yet I still felt compelled to say it. I fired again, this time blowing off the thing's leg at the knee, and swallowed hard as it warbled a grotesque moan. "Christ, I'm so sorry this happened to you."

When I pulled the trigger a third time, I aimed right for his chest. "Goodbye, Ethan."

The Flood-Ethan's torso burst into bits of red flesh and yellow Flood bits, releasing a final agonized noise from his mouth. He hit the deck with a dull thud a moment later, finally dead.

As I stepped over the body to get to Willis, I pumped two more shells into Flood-Ethan's head and stomach, just in case he had thought about getting up a second time. I knew I had to do it to be safe, but completing the motion was almost enough to make me sick again.

My heart was hammering inside my chest by the time I got to my husband.

"Will?" I asked, trying to shake him awake. His body had crumpled against the ground near the far bulkhead, just as I'd suspected, and all of a sudden I feared the worst. _This is what happened to Private West_, I kept thinking to myself. _Bashed against a tree, and that's how she died. _

My voice sounded much more frantic the second time. "Willis, honey, wake up." Jerking his shoulders upright, I tried to assess if he was coming around yet, but there was still no change. I immediately called for Petty Officer Reynolds, then returned my focus to Willis.

As my light shined over his upper body, I could see fresh splotches of his blood on both his uniform jacket and his arms. Again I remembered West, and decided to take off his helmet to see the true extent of the damage. "Come on, Will. You know you can't do this to me. Show me you're still fine under there."

Unfortunately, luck wasn't on my side now. I inhaled sharply when I saw the thick blood streaming out of his nose, rolling all the way down his face and neck to stain the collar of his T-shirt. His eyes were closed, too. For a minute, I couldn't even think.

"Doc, hurry the fuck up!" I managed to choke out.

"On my way, ma'am, but we've run into some company," the medic replied. "We're dispatching the little creeps as we speak!"

Swearing as I cut the connection, I tore off my gloves and quickly pulled back the sleeve on Willis's left arm. His skin felt warm beneath my fingers while I tried desperately to find a pulse. _Come on, Will. Please, _please_ give me something to work with here. I can't_---Something between a sob and a moan escaped my throat, and I unconsciously squeezed his hand. _Please, just don't be…_

I nearly jumped a foot in the air when I felt Willis squeeze back. He opened his eyes a crack, and he gave me a weak grin.

"It's…ok, Coop. I'm…not dead…yet." He tapped his combat armor, then glanced over at his slightly bloodied helmet, lying next to him. "Ethan…sure rang my bell, but…this stuff's…a lot stronger than…I thought."

A grin broke out wide over my face, something that couldn't be helped despite the dire circumstances we all found ourselves in. I raised my tinted faceplate and threw my arms around Willis, not caring for the moment who or what might be around to see it. "Figures that he'd have to be turned into a Flood before he'd take you on, huh?" I said to him.

Willis chuckled lightly beneath me. "Yup, ain't…that the truth." His hazel eyes were looking straight into mine, and I suddenly wanted to kiss him so badly I couldn't stand it. The only thing that stopped me from going through with that particularly foolish motion was Willis's pained groan.

"Uh, Coop," he began in a strained voice. "Not that I don't usually enjoy having you in this position, but…that Flood slap _really_ hurt, and it's just too weird for me to be this aroused when I'm in this much pain. Especially considering our present location."

"Right, sorry," I said as I straightened, opting to kneel beside him instead. "So where'd you get hit? Where're you hurting?"

Using his arms to make himself sit up, Willis cringed and answered, "My chest. My head. My back. A better question would probably be where am I---"

"---_not_ hurting," I finished. "I know. I've been there plenty of times, unfortunately."

We both turned then at the sudden sounds of gunfire coming down the hallway to the room. I picked up my shotgun and aimed at the entrance, waiting to be assaulted by a new wave of tentacle balloon things or various other Flood forms. The only being to come through the door, however, was Doc Reynolds, followed quickly by Lieutenant Commander Glorio and PFC Foster.

"We need to move, Captain. _Now_," the ONI officer said to me as Reynolds made his way to my husband. "Your Marines just took out a horde of those tiny little octopus bastards, and it sounds like more are on approach."

"Understood, ma'am." I subtly patted Willis's hand, then stepped away from him and brought my visor back down over my face. "Any idea what direction they're coming from this time?"

"The Flood are behind us, Captain," PFC Tom Foster replied. He kept his weapon leveled at the door, same as Glorio and I. "Now that we're this far in, there's nowhere else for them to go."

"And we're stuck here, in a dead-end," I realized. _Shit, why didn't I think of that sooner? _I thought to myself. _This corridor Dandh and I investigated lead only to three closed rooms, which means no exit. We should have gone back while we still could. _Now, there was no choice. If the Flood found us, we'd be boxed in. We'd have to fight our way out.

"Captain Cooper?"

I whipped around at the voice, wondering what the hell could make things worse right now. "Better tell me fast, Doc. What's he got?"

"Your husband's suffering from two broken ribs and a concussion, ma'am. The latter explains why he blacked out there for a bit. Ruptured several vessels in his nose from the force of the impact, too, so that's why he's been bleeding all over the place. Still, he's lucky it wasn't anything more serious."

"Gotcha, Doc. Patch him up as best and as quick as you can, and then we go."

"Yes, ma'a---"

"Belay that, Petty Officer!" Lieutenant Commander Glorio shouted.

"Ma'am?" Reynolds and I said in unison.

The ONI spook stepped up to me and glanced over at Willis. "The Flood'll be on us by the time the lieutenant gets fixed up. We're going to find ourselves a safe place first, and then the medic can administer aid there."

I watched Doc Reynolds shake his head. "Commander, with all due respect, it's going to be very painful and difficult for Lieutenant Hawk---"

"Do it, Doc."

"Wait!" I said. I lifted my visor before going on, so Glorio could see my face. "Ma'am, Reynolds's the best medic in the Corps. He'll make it fast, and that way the lieutenant doesn't have to suffer. We can keep the enemy at bay till then."

Glorio gave me a look that could've sent even the fiercest Flood zombie retreating. "No, Cooper. The Flood are here, now, just down the hall. We either move _this instant_, or we get holed up in this room and die. One wounded officer is not worth the lives of all your men, Captain."

And if it were anyone else, I knew I would have made that same decision. But this was Willis.

"All due respect, Commander, but…" I let out a sigh, upset that I had to divulge this information, but there was no other way to make her understand. "Lieutenant Hawk is my husband, ma'am, and I need to see he's been taken care of before we move on. May I also remind you that you gave me tactical command over this op, so, technically, the choice is mine." I looked at Reynolds before she could reply and nodded once. "Go ahead, Doc. Quickly."

He hesitated for a split second, then replied, "Yes, ma'am" and got to work.

When I turned back to face Glorio, she was red with indignation. "Captain Cooper! Regardless of your relationship to the lieutenant, you are going _way_ outside your bounds with this, Marine! We will be---!"

"Captain!" Sergeant Dandh exclaimed as he came stumbling into the room. His breathing was fast and shallow, and his uniform was drenched in yellow parasite fluid. "They're…coming…this way! All…over the hallway…dozens of 'em…"

"Order an immediate retreat to the RV point, Dandh, now," I said to him. "If we're going to do this, we stand a better chance if we work as a team against them."

The sergeant raised a dubious eyebrow at me. "We have a…rendezvous point, ma'am?"

I tagged my location on my infiltration team's HUD and offered him a weak smile. "We do now, Sergeant. Let's get ready."

Luckily, my Marines all assembled fast---and even Doc had finished patching up Willis---by the time we started hearing the strange high-pitched squeaks outside the door. Though Glorio hadn't wanted to go along with my plan at all, in the end the circumstances had forced her. Like it or not, we were going to meet the Flood here, right now…and try to survive the encounter long enough to get back out.

Lieutenant Commander Glorio and I were at the head of our clumped group of Marines, and Willis was crouched just behind me, SMG at the ready. I could hear his labored breathing coming in sharp, irregular intervals over our private channel (thanks to the hit he'd taken to his ribs), and it slowly killed me every time. I knew Reynolds had made things as comfortable for Willis as possible, but my husband was clearly still in a good deal of pain.

_Come on, Cooper, _I rebuked myself. _You can't afford to worry about Willis right now, or your own leg wound, or anything other distractions. Focus on eliminating the Flood, and fast._

As their screeching grew louder and drew closer, though, it was hard _not_ to concentrate on them. Even from outside, the noise seemed to permeate through every inch of the room, filling the cracks and creeping into your eardrums and driving all other thoughts from your mind.

Fear began to gradually well up inside me, twisting my stomach while we all waited for the Flood's grand re-entrance. I didn't want Willis to die here, or my Marines, or even myself. And I definitely didn't want us to get turned into grotesque, mindless freak creatures, either. When the stakes were that high, it was easy to be this scared.

My heart started beating faster, and I felt cold beads of sweat roll down the sides of my face and creep along my spine. I shuddered as my breathing picked up as well. But oddly enough, I'd never felt more determined than I did now.

_Please, please, please_, I thought, shutting my eyes hard for only an instant. _Just let it be over soon._

Suddenly, there was a loud bang against the door, drowning out even the horrible warbling squeals for a second. I inhaled a deep breath and glanced quickly at the men behind me, knowing we'd finally reached the end of the line. Semper fi, do or die.

"All right, Marines, this is it," I said in a strangely firm tone. "We'll get the bastards the moment they come through that door. Remember to be aware of your surroundings at all times, and don't get so jumpy that you fire on a fellow Marine. Let's finish this and get the fuck outta here."


	36. Chapter 35: Bang For Your Buck

Author's Note: Thanks for all the great reviews, everybody! I really appreciate it, and I'd love for the feedback to continue. So here's the next chapter, and I hope you enjoy. Please review! ;-)

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Chapter Thirty-Five: Bang For Your Buck

True to their name, they came in waves.

So much happened so fast that my brain didn't even have time to process it all. It was like I'd gone into some auto-pilot mode, and my body was reacting to the situation around me all by itself. Aim, fire, turn, aim, fire, turn…

Unfortunately, the Flood were as unrelenting as our trigger fingers, and they just kept on coming.

The first few beings that came through the door were dozens of the little tentacle balloon things, and they swarmed at us viciously. Despite his myriad injuries, Willis, along with Sergeant Dandh and two other Marines, stepped up with their automatic weapons to make sure the Infection Forms didn't make it past the entrance. Since we were bunched up in such tight quarters, allowing any of the poppers to get inside would get us all killed and consumed---fast.

"Let's keep up the heavy fire, Marines!" I cried into the COM channel, waiting anxiously for the rest of the Flood creatures to show up. "Those of you at the front are cleared to use explosives! The rest of you, watch your aim and make sure your grenades are secured!"

With the number of assault rifles and submachine guns going off around me, it was suddenly harder to hear the awful sounds the Flood were making as they approached. I never thought I'd be so grateful to have that many guns being fired in such a small room, but it was better than listening to the high-pitched parasite squeals any day.

Using a well-placed grenade, PFC Foster, up at the head of the group, managed to finally eliminate the first wave of Infection Forms. If I hadn't known for sure that tens of the things were still on their way, I would have breathed a sigh of relief; at least we'd prevented the first round from penetrating our measly defense. But now would come the hard part.

"All right, everybody, stay sharp," I said, consciously trying not to hold my breath. Tons of pieces of shredded, cream-colored Flood flesh were now strewn across the doorway leading to the hall, and the smell kept getting worse. I kept hoping my helmet's systems would compensate, but they'd been overloaded long ago. "That was just the beginning. They're going to come in with their fighters now, so be alert and wait for my signal. We _will_ make it out of here alive." _I hope, _I added silently to myself.

"We need to come up with an exit strategy, Captain," Lieutenant Commander Glorio said beside me, using a private channel. "The longer we stay cooped up in this dead-end, the worse our chances of survival become."

I shrugged off the lingering bitterness in her voice; she was still upset by my refusal to leave sooner. "Yes, ma'am. I'm working on that, Commander, but we need to deal with the enemy first."_ If they'll only give us a few minutes of downtime_, I thought, _we can move out and start heading back to find a more suitable way out. But what are the chances of that happening?_

Apparently slim, because no sooner had I finished the thought than more Flood appeared. I couldn't see them with my helmet light yet, but I heard the bumbling beasts moaning down the hall. And what truly surprised me this time was that streams of bullets were suddenly making their way into the room.

"Everyone check your damn fire, now!" I yelled into the COM channel. "Where's that friendly fire coming from?"

"That ain't no friendly fire, ma'am, it's the Flood!" Sergeant Dandh exclaimed. "Jesus, they've got our own weapons!"

_Oh, no_. "Take cover, Marines!"

Those of us at the front used the indentation of the doorway to quickly crouch out of the line of fire, while the rest used the few metal barrels or other sturdy objects that were lying around. As I pressed my back up against the bulkhead, I could hear the bullets ricocheting off the ground and far walls of the room, and I also saw sparks shoot up occasionally when rounds hit the metal barrels. My only hope was that the Flood hadn't managed to capture any heavy weapons, or we were cooked.

"Commander, where in the hell did they get our weapons from?" I called to Glorio, holding onto my helmet as more and more lead filled the air. If the Flood continued to keep us pinned down in here, that was bad news for us. While we would remain under cover for fear of getting hit, the parasite had no such inhibition, and I knew they would attempt to bound into the room nonetheless. I couldn't allow that to happen.

When the ONI spook answered, there was a slight waver in her voice. "I…believe that's…the rest of my team, Captain."

My eyes went wide, even though I'd seen what had happened to Ethan only minutes ago. But I had no time to focus on Glorio's chilling words, because the first Flood versions of the spook team burst into the room.

Walking freak show number one leapt right through the hail of gunfire coming from both sides, and ended up landing amongst us. Before I could even issue the order to take it out, the warbling, vaguely human-looking monster pumped an entire clip of MA5B fire into the rear group.

I knew there was a casualty when I turned and saw the muted eruption of dark red blood against the bulkhead.

"Kill that son of a bitch! Right now!"

Five Marines quickly turned on the bastard who'd pegged one of our own, but it was Atalom 'Kuatee that took down the beast. With two clean swipes of his glowing plasma sword, the Elite sliced the Flood form to pieces, spraying a horrific mix of yellow Flood fluid and red human blood into the air.

As soon as the infected former ONI operative was down, I opened a COM channel to Petty Officer Reynolds. "Doc, who the hell's hit?"

"Lance Corporal Castillas, ma'am!" the medic answered. "I'm going to do the best I can to patch him up, but it's going to be damn tricky back here!"

"Just get it done, Doc!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Keeping my focus to our front, I watched as Willis, Dandh, Foster, and Roys continued returning fire on the Flood, pulling their triggers and reloading as quickly as their weapons demanded. Two more explosions rocked the hallway, taking out a good number of the various Covenant and human Flood forms, but they still weren't giving up.

"It's a fucking nightmare, Cooper!" Willis shouted into our private channel as he ducked to reload. "We've used up all our last grenades, killed tens of the horrifying bastards, but more are still turning the corner down the hall and coming for us!"

"Captain Cooper, we're running out of ammo!" Sergeant Dandh exclaimed a moment later. "I'm down to two more clips for my SMG, and then I've got three clips for my M6D. That's it!"

While I took in their reports, I fired two shotgun shells at an attacking Brute Flood form. It had sprinted up the hall as its comrades fell beside it, unperturbed by the amount of bullets coming at it until my rounds had stopped it dead in its tracks. The Flood let out a disturbing groan, then fell to the ground once my third shell blew a sizable hole in its torso.

"Captain, find us that exit or let's move! We won't be alive here much longer!" Lieutenant Commander Glorio insisted.

_Dammit, she's right_, I thought. I switched channels and addressed my whole infiltration team. "Ok, Marines, here's what we're going to do!" I said as I continued firing shell after shell into any Flood lucky enough to have made it past the hail of lead. "Anyone who's not composing part of the front line will give the lieutenant commander their grenades! All of them! Everyone else, hang tight, because we're about to make a run for it. Is that under---"

"_Natalie, watch out_!" Willis suddenly screamed into our channel.

Not a second later, I felt something small, hard, and compact hit me in the stomach. I grunted as I involuntarily took a few steps back, trying to keep my balance. It was only once I looked down at the object on the floor that I noticed what it was.

"Holy shit, grenade! Everybody down!" Sergeant Dandh yelled.

I didn't even think while I grabbed hold of the thing and sent it sailing back out of the room; a blast like that in a space this size would kill us all. It detonated in the air a few feet outside the door, just as I'd thrown myself to the ground and covered my head with my arms.

For the next several seconds, my world ceased to exist. I only came to when I felt someone drag me to the side and shake me awake. "Cooper, Cooper! We still need you here, Captain!"

This voice was female, irritated. The second, though, was male and panicked.

"Commander, how's my wife doing? Is she ok?"

"Fine, Lieutenant. Only momentarily dazed. She was closest to the frag when it went off." Glorio turned to face me again. "Captain Cooper, can you hear me?"

Though her voice sounded incredibly muffled, what with all the loud ringing in my ears, and my vision was a little blurry, I nodded. "Yeah," I replied through gritted teeth. My leg was giving me the pain of a lifetime from the blast, and I instantly wished for more morphine. "I think my leg just crapped out though, ma'am."

Glorio cursed, then mumbled, "I can't believe those Flood bastards had the smarts to toss a grenade in here. They could've wiped out every last one of us with that one." She helped me up to a sitting position, and in the meantime, I could hear the other Marines still firing their weapons, fighting to keep the remaining Flood at bay. "That was a damned fine maneuver, Captain. Crazy and silly as hell, but damned fine."

"T-thank you, Commander."

"But look, we need to a find a way out of here, now. There's no time left to dilly-dally. I need you up and running, and I need you to lead your Marines out of this God-forsaken hellhole. Understood?"

"Y-yes, ma'am."

"Good. Then get up and get 'em, Marine."

Standing on my broken leg had never hurt so bad as it did in that moment, with or without morphine. The pain was excruciating, so much so that tiny white spots dotted my vision, but I knew I had to get us out of here. Fast.

After limping back over to the entrance, I saw four more Flood forms ambling towards us, along with three bulbous waddlers behind. I knew that as soon as the waddlers burst, we'd have more Infection Forms on our hands---and now that we were running increasingly low on ammo, that would be disastrous.

So, at the cost of being wrong, I had to make a decision. It was a gamble, and an incredible longshot, but even if it presented us with only the entrance to another room, at least it gave us space to maneuver better.

Because at this rate, there was simply no way we could charge out this door, take on all the Flood inside the structure, and live.

"Commander, I have an idea," I said to her, pulling the trigger of my shotgun while I spoke. "Did you gather all the grenades yet?"

"Yes, I have, Captain," she answered hesitantly. "Tell me what you have in mind."

I'd had a different plan for the explosives when I'd initially asked for them, but now I saw another way to use them. Perhaps a way that would be far more beneficial to our survival.

"How many are there, ma'am?"

"Six in all, Captain. Four frag, two plasma."

I held out my hand as I moved back to her through a hail of Flood gunfire. The mix of human and Covenant weaponry was even more dangerous than one or the other alone, but I managed. "With your permission, I'd like to have them, Commander."

She held back for a moment. "What's your plan, first?"

"Dammit, you said yourself there's no time for this! Please, ma'am, just let me have them!"

"This had better be good, Capain," Glorio said dubiously as she handed them over.

Major Phillips had told me before I'd entered the structure that if ever things got too hot, I was to abort the mission immediately. It seemed unfortunate, that we'd managed to get this far and would have to turn back before we'd gotten what we'd come for, but the lives of my Marines came first. We were getting out of here alive, and then we'd figure out what to do from there in regards to the mission.

I kept that in mind as I made my way to the back of the room.

"Marines, move it up to the entrance. We're going to have to fight the Flood halfway down the hallway, then keep the rest at bay for a minute while I get this door open."

"Door?" 'Kuatee came up beside me while the others did as ordered, giving me a sideways glance. "What door, human? Before you stands only a wall, a method of containment."

Smirking inside my helmet, I answered, "Be patient, Atom. Grenades can make some damn miraculous transformations happen."

The Elite seemed to catch my drift then, especially since I'd already collected the explosives into a pile at my feet. I'd use one of the metal barrels lying against the back bulkhead to place the ring of grenades, then allow the ensuing blast to theoretically blow a hole right through the wall. If it worked, it just might save our lives. If it didn't…well, we didn't really have a better alternative, anyway. We'd be dead, same as if we'd done nothing at all.

Within the next thirty seconds, Lieutenant Commander Glorio had evacuated the Marines from the room; it was just me and 'Kuatee that were left. I could heard the sounds of combat going on in the hallway as well, however, indicating that the Flood hadn't given up yet. I had to be sure to make this quick.

"Ready to run outta here, Atom?" I asked the Elite. "Last chance if you want to give yourself a head start."

"I shall exit when you do, Captain."

My smirk turned into a grin. "Thanks for sticking with me, alien boy. Here we go."

I primed the four frags first, knowing they had the longest time-delay. The two plasma grenades came next, and I stuck those between the others. Then 'Kuatee and I sprinted the hell out of the room.

It was amazing how much my agonizingly painful leg didn't bother me when I was running for my life.

"Marines, get your heads down!" I yelled.

An instant later, a loud, all-encompassing boom signaled the detonation of half a dozen grenades. Even the Flood forms moving towards us down the hall stumbled at the resulting vibration.

'Kuatee was the first to get back on his feet, and he hauled me quickly to a standing position.

"Let's move it, Marines! Follow me! Go, go, go, _now_!" I shouted.

Sprinting fast to get back to the room, my infiltration team---with the addition of Lieutenant Commander Glorio---managed to make it there without incurring further casualties from the pursuing Flood.

And when we got there, we found a beautifully large hole in the wall waiting for us.

I stopped at the hole, only big enough for one person to crawl through, and crouched. Waving the first men forward, I cried, "Move it, Marines! Let's go, let's go, one at a time and fast, people!"

While I managed the exit, Sergeant Dandh, PFC Roys, and PFC Foster manned the entrance, keeping the Flood from getting through as we made our way out. Willis was the fifth Marine to go, and he gave me a brief but telling squeeze of my hand as he went out. _You'd better make it back out of here with me, Cooper_, he seemed to say.

Lieutenant Commander Glorio was next, then a few more Marines, 'Kuatee, and finally the guards at the door. With Flood forms and tentacle poppers bounding through the threshold, I managed to pull myself free from the room we'd been trapped in for the longest several minutes of my life.

I crawled out into a fiercely blowing wind, and snow crunched beneath my battledress- and armor-covered body. It took me a moment to take it all in, as I lay there in the freezing cold, pristine white snow, breathing heavy.

We'd made it. We were finally out.

I grinned, finally able to breathe a real sigh of relief. "Good work, Marines," I said over the COM. "Thank God we're finally out of that creepy little place. Doc?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"What's the status on Castillas?"

"Bad shape, Captain. I tried fixing him up when we were still inside, but he's hit bad, ma'am. And now, the weather isn't helping any, either. He took a number of shredder rounds to his torso, essentially ripping right through the armor. But if I try stripping his chestplate and battledress jacket here in the open, he'll get hypothermic fast, ma'am." The medic sighed. "I don't think he's going to make it."

_Shit_, I thought to myself. _That'll be three Marines KIA then, if we can't help Castillas_. "Understood, Doc. Do what you can, but we'll need to get moving again soon. We need to link back up with the rest of Bravo, see how they're faring. And then we've all gotta get to Battalion, tell them what we've found." Or, rather, what we hadn't. The Prophet had been MIA during the entire mission, so unless Glorio had any interesting facts for us…depending on what Major Phillips wanted, we might have to go back inside the Flood-infested Covie camp.

The thought sent chills down my spine, and it had nothing to do with our sudden re-emergence into the elements. I wasn't sure if I _could_ go back in there or not. Even if it meant going against orders, I didn't think I'd mentally be able to handle it.

Sitting up from my prone position, I turned back to the hole in the wall, wondering why the Flood that had attacked us so relentlessly weren't doing so now. They certainly hadn't been more than a few steps behind when I'd managed to get out, so why had they given up all of a sudden? Like Willis had mentioned earlier, the weather wasn't supposed to be a consideration for them.

"Don't let your guard down yet, Marines. We'll stop here for a few minutes, wait and see what they're up to. After that, we're on the move again."

Even as I spoke, I took off the last remaining frag grenade that I'd kept strapped to my web belt, just in case we needed it. With everyone else's grenades and supplies depleted, I'd decided to keep this one in reserve. But now seemed like a good time to let it loose.

Grateful that the blizzard---which had been raging when we'd first entered the structure---had now calmed down enough for us to effectively function in it, I primed my lone grenade and tossed it into the hole we'd all emerged from.

It wasn't much, but if the Flood were planning on following us, it would at least slow them down a bit.

I slithered quickly through the fresh, powdery snow, truly feeling the effects of neglecting my wounded leg for so long. In a moment of panic, I realized that I probably wouldn't even be able to walk anymore, if Doc's limited store of morphine was gone. Then the final grenade went off.

I'd made sure to throw it deep enough inside so that it didn't make the hole any bigger; now that we were safely outside, I didn't want the Flood to have the ability to join us. The Infection Forms could get out fairly easily because of their size, but the bigger ones would have to figure it out. I still wasn't sure exactly how smart the Flood beings were, but they'd definitely proven themselves formidable adversaries. And damned frightening ones at that.

With the rest of my Marines covering the hole with their weapons, I picked up my shotgun and decided to reload it. I was glad I finally had the time, but as I pulled the shells from my pocket, I noticed that I only had seven of them left. Not even enough for a full load.

I hoped that would last me until we made it back to Bravo, and that their stores hadn't been drained as badly as ours.

Just when I was about to order the team into formation for the march, I heard the soft crunch of boots hitting the ground beside me. I looked up to see Willis standing above me, and I smiled.

He lifted his faceplate long enough to show me he was smiling back, then quickly brought it down again; it was way too cold out here to keep it raised. I watched as he slung his SMG across his back, barrel facing down, then sat down beside me in the snow.

Before either of us said anything, he suddenly wrapped his arms around me in a fierce hug. "Jesus, Coop. That was way too close, you know."

Despite the hell I knew I'd get from Glorio about it, I just didn't care much at the moment. I hugged him back without a second thought, being mindful of his broken ribs. "Yeah, Will. Believe me, I know."

"And there's something else you should know, too." He chuckled, still holding me tight. "What you did was insane, Cooper. I mean really, really nuts. But dammit if it didn't work."


	37. Chapter 36: It's All in Your Head

Author's Note: So my spring semester starts today, so I'm not sure when I'll be able to get the next chapter up. It's been a long and wonderful winter break, but now it's back to studying and exams. :-( Anyway, I'll do my best to work on this story whenever I have free time, but expect updates to slow up again. Sorry. The good news, though, is that I've got this new chapter waiting for you, so I hope you enjoy it! As always, reviews are much appreciated and loved.

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Chapter Thirty-Six: It's All in Your Head

**0834 Hours, October 6, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Return," Planet Earth. Day Fifty-Seven of the Invasion of Earth**

I could see my breath in the air as I hiked up the snowy slope ahead of my team. Having the bitter cold and biting wind sting my face may have seemed like a bad thing at first, but after wearing my helmet for so long---which had only circulated the rancid air of the Covie camp---I took it all in with relief. I was breathing in clean mountain air, and it was nothing at all like the nauseating smells my nose had been subjected to earlier. I counted myself more than lucky to have finally escaped that living hell.

With my helmet hooked conveniently to the top of my pack, I'd donned a black patrol beanie instead, to keep warm. Now though, as the sun came up and the wind began to die down, I realized that I probably didn't even need that much anymore. Still, I couldn't bring myself to take it off quite yet; I didn't want the sweat on my forehead to freeze.

Another few meters up the steep incline, I decided to call for a halt.

By now, we were getting so close to Bravo Company's position I could taste it, but this was what my Marines needed. We'd already been marching hard for three hours straight, to make up for the time we'd lost during the night because of the blizzard; the hike should've normally taken about a day, but had ended up taking nearly two since the weather hadn't cooperated. Especially after the prolonged fighting, I figured we could use the quick rest.

"Take five, Marines," I called aloud. "Make sure you keep your wits about you, but go ahead and have a break."

Luckily, Doc Reynolds had had two more doses of precious morphine left upon getting out of the objective area, so I'd managed to push myself hard even through the pain. That didn't stop my leg from throbbing like hell once I sat down on a protruding rock, though.

_Damn, I sure hope this heals up soon_, I thought sourly. _I want to be a leader, not a liability_.

Sighing, I glanced over at the rest of my team, noticing that Willis was still hovering near Reynolds; it seemed that my husband had suddenly turned into a PA, although he'd never even come close to studying medicine at the Academy.

But really, it was just the simple fact that it took two men to haul a badly wounded Marine up a mountain.

Thanks to a remarkable intervention at the eleventh hour, Lance Corporal Castillas had actually made it through the last day or so, with the hopes that he'd continue on this path. Doc's latest assessment, however, hadn't really indicated as much, and so I had the feeling that they were just trying to make things as comfortable for the dying lance corporal as possible.

_Shit_. I shut my eyes tight at that last thought. I couldn't stand losing another Marine. Another one of _my_ men.

It was as I was about to get up to go visit Castillas that I heard something slip out of my pocket. I didn't think much of it at first---until I saw the object glinting in the morning sun.

_Lieutenant Ackerson, Ethan James. _

The frigid air suddenly caught in my throat when I bent to pick up his dogtags.

Funny. It almost felt exactly like the time Ethan had tried to choke me, all those years ago.

"Captain? Did you know Lieutenant Ackerson?"

I was shaken out of my lovely trip down memory lane by Lieutenant Commander Glorio's curious voice---and even more startled to find her standing right beside me.

Damn, no wonder she worked for ONI. Only spooks had the ability to be that friggin' stealthy.

"Huh?"

The Naval officer pointed to the set of bloody tags dangling from my hand. "That officer was on my Intelligence team, Cooper. How'd you end up with those?"

"I…I found his body, ma'am," I answered slowly. "In one of the far rooms, near where we encountered you." I shrugged, trying hard not to remember the way he'd looked as a Flood form. "Thought it was the right thing to do."

Glorio raised an eyebrow at me. "Is that so?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Then why didn't I see you do the same for the others? The ones we fought later on?"

I let out a controlled sigh, still feigning indifference. The last thing I wanted to do---right now or ever---was talk about Ethan, especially to a stranger. "You know what those last several minutes were like, Commander. There wasn't any time for niceties in that room."

The lieutenant commander didn't answer, but she didn't leave, either.

Exasperated, I curled my fingers into a fist around the dogtags, then shoved them quickly back into my pocket. I didn't want to lose them again. "Look, we went to the same high school together, ma'am. I met him when we were both seventeen, and now I'm twenty-five and I hadn't seen him since then. It was a pretty big shock to find…to find him like that." _No matter how much he may have deserved it for what he did to me._

The ONI operative nodded as a faint, sad smile of understanding crossed her lips. "Ah, you never do forget your first love." Noticing the stunned expression that came upon my face at her words, she added, "It's ok, Cooper. I can tell by the way you talk about him."

"Yeah, well. That was a long time ago," I replied quietly. _And besides, that's not the main reason why I remember Ethan, anyway. _Gesturing to where Willis was, crouched next to Castillas and Reynolds, I said, "My real first, last, and only is that El-Tee right over there, Commander."

She seemed slightly amused. "When'd you meet him?"

"High school. Seventeen." I really hoped she thought the heat rushing to my cheeks was because of their exposure to the icy weather. "Got married when we were twenty." _And I fell for him in part for defending me when I couldn't bring myself to do it alone. He beat the crap out of Ethan, because Ethan beat the crap out of me. _"I gotta admit, this isn't exactly how we'd envisioned spending our life together, though."

Much to my surprise, Glorio actually chuckled at my response. "Yeah, I'll bet." She looked down at her sidearm, idly checking its load as she took in my much-abbreviated life story. "You probably don't have any kids yet, Cooper; you're still young. But I'm thirty-four, and I have a six-year-old daughter, Stacey. And even before I realized I wasn't in love with my now ex-husband anymore, I knew the day Stacey was born that she'd always be my first, last, and only priority." The lieutenant commander glanced up at me again. "That's my secret, Cooper. That's what kept me going, while I was holed up inside that place, watching my own men die and get turned into crazed monsters."

Although I could tell she was mentally in rough shape about it, I knew I had to ask about the story of the Covenant encampment. I needed to know if there ever really was a Prophet and, if so, whether we'd have to go back to find him or not.

"I actually do have a kid, ma'am, so I know all about that. My husband and I have a two-year-old son named Gabriel." I frowned as I glanced down at the shotgun in my hands. "But, if I may ask…what really happened in that place, Commander?"

She didn't answer for a long time, choosing instead to stare at the snow sparkling in the sun. Then, eventually, she looked up again and shrugged. "Serious case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time, Captain. Six of us were sent in about a week ago, to gather intel for Operation Everest. We were supposed to have updated reports ready for you just before your company arrived, then bug out when you showed up." The lieutenant commander snorted. "Place was designated Covenant only; I don't think that even they knew what was about to hit 'em. Anyway, a couple days into the op, they managed to capture us, and locked us in those rooms you saw. A few hours after that, those freak creatures suddenly swarmed in, took over everything and nearly everyone. And somehow, I ended up the only one of my team, and of all the alien bastards, to get out with my body intact."

I shuddered; I couldn't imagine having been trapped inside the Flood-infested camp for _days_, all by myself. Just those hours we'd spent in there had nearly done me in. "And the Prophet, ma'am?"

"Believe it or not, one of the first casualties," she replied. "Son of a bitch had four Brutes in its Honor Guard. All of 'em fought like crazy, too, but none of them stood a chance. There were just _so damn many_ Flood…"

Glorio didn't go on, and she didn't need to. We'd all witnessed what was in the former Covie camp; the results of the skirmish spoke for themselves.

Something inside me fell in dejection then. So that was it? I'd risked the lives of a dozen Marines---and lost two, possibly three---to capture an enemy leader that hadn't even been alive anymore? _But, _I thought to myself, _at least we were able to rescue Glorio. Without her, we wouldn't even know what had happened in there. _

Staring absently at my wet combat boots, I asked slowly, "So now that the target's been neutralized, what are your orders, Commander?"

"We'll rendezvous with the rest of your company first, Cooper. I'm sure you and your men could use a few hours to eat, sleep, and rest. Then we contact Phillips. He'll want a sitrep, and he can tell us what he wants from there."

* * *

I felt beyond relieved when we finally reached the edge of Bravo's perimeter, though it was going to be tricky to make initial contact without getting shot at. Holding my shotgun in my lap as I crouched behind a boulder, I put a fist in the air to signal the rest of the team to halt behind me.

After pulling the beanie off my head, I replaced it with my helmet and opened a COM channel to First Lieutenant Lewis. "Dean, this is Cooper. Please respond."

There was a good minute or two of silence and static on the line. Worried, I was about to try hailing him again when the lieutenant finally answered. "Captain? Is that really you?"

"Yeah, Lewis," I replied with a creeping grin. "We're a few men short, but we made it back. Tell whoever you've got running patrol that we're coming up from the southeast, so don't shoot."

"Certainly, ma'am. I'll let Lieutenant Samson know right away." He paused, then let out a relieved sigh. "It's good to have you back, Captain."

"Good to be back, El-Tee." Images of torn and maimed bodies coming at me in the dark suddenly flashed before my eyes. For a moment, there was even the scent of blood, vomit, and Flood juice in the air again. I shook my head to clear it of the fresh memories and took a deep breath. "Real good."

When my infiltration team and I reunited with Bravo Company a short while later, I granted the Marines a few hours of rest; after all we'd been through in the past couple days, they definitely deserved it. But although I was just as mentally and physically exhausted---and still in plenty of pain from my leg wound---I knew I had to get some things done before I could indulge in the luxury of sleep.

I spent the next half-hour meeting with Lieutenant Lewis and Lieutenant Commander Glorio, discussing what had gone on in my absence, what we'd found at the camp, and what we'd do next. My XO explained that over the last forty-eight hours, the Flood had been harassing some of the patrol teams manning the perimeter, but nothing too serious had happened yet. The company was maintaining the lines well for now, and though ammo and food were beginning to run low, we weren't quite at the point of having to ration our resources. The main problem was going to be coordinating the eventual link up with Battalion, and then, finding a way out of Lienz. Since our base had been destroyed a week ago, overrun by the Flood-fleeing Covenant, the fate of the 102nd Battalion was officially up in the air. We'd probably end up having to fight both if we wanted to make it back to friendly forces.

Checking up on the severely wounded Lance Corporal Castillas came next. Doc Reynolds informed me that his condition hadn't changed much in the past hour; the young Marine was still hanging on by a thread, and there wasn't much left that the medic could do for him. It was a wait-and-see game for now, with little hope of a positive outcome.

It was only once I'd walked through the barren perimeter, spoken to the men, and made sure the patrols got rotated that I finally went to look for Willis. I was tired, hungry, and, despite the freezing temperatures, sweaty as hell, and all I wanted at the moment was to be near him when I fell asleep. The pain raging through my broken femur wasn't helping much, though…but at least it masked the dull throb of the bullet I'd nearly taken to the side of my gut.

Luckily my husband wasn't too hard to find, considering that, like me, he was one of the few Marines who'd opted to remove their helmets in favor of a black beanie. My own helmet had come off again during the meeting, so I had to squint to see Willis in the distance, but I could tell it was him. He was sitting with his legs sprawled out in front of him, back leaning against a dark brown, leafless tree, when I came up.

I tapped the sole of his combat boot with the toe of my own in greeting.

"Hey, Cooper. Where've you been?"

"Attending to my duties, even though my leg would like to murder me for it." I winced as I sat down, then eased my leg into a more comfortable position. "I keep hoping it'll get better, but without the morphine, it hasn't changed much so far. Doc says he'll give me a check-up within the next few days."

Throwing Willis a sideways glance, I realized for the first time what he was doing: using his combat knife to shave the short beard he'd grown since leaving Foxtrot Base. For some reason, the mundane action seemed out of place given our current situation.

"You know, I wouldn't have preached the regs to you for that. We're in the middle of a mission, so it's ok to bend the rules a little."

Willis chuckled. "Why? Did you like me better with a beard?"

"Didn't really notice it till now, to tell you the truth. A hell of a lot's happened, Will. And in a short amount of time, too."

"Yeah, I know, Coop." He slipped his knife back into its sheath on his hip, finished with his impromptu shave, then used some canteen water to rinse off his face. "But at least we're out of there now."

I closed my heavy eyelids and leaned my head back against the tree, remembering for a disturbing moment what the approaching Flood had sounded like. None of us had slept in days, and the exhaustion was overwhelming---yet I knew there would now be a price to pay in nightmares.

So, at least in that sense, had we _really_ made it out?


	38. Chapter 37: Tourist Trap

Author's Note: Ok, so I had this chapter all done and ready to go on Sunday, and FF decides to crap out for 3 days. Argh. Anyway, you may have noticed that my pen name's different now, but I assure you, it's still the same old me. ;-) I now go by **ilmiopassato** instead of **Lt. Garry**, so please take note.

Also, I've gotten a few comments about the lack of Elites in this story, so I wanted to let you all know what's up with that. Believe me when I say it's all part of the plan, and things will start picking up in the future in that regard. There _will_ be more Elites, as well as other ex-Covies, joining up with Bravo. It's just that for now, the whole alliance is a relatively new thing for everyone involved, so I'm trying to ease my characters into it. That way, I can really take the time to explore their feelings towards---and have them develop relationships with---their former enemies.

So, as always, hope you enjoy the chappy and please review!

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Chapter Thirty-Seven: Tourist Trap

"Fancy finding the two of you here, canoodling about in front of your own men. Got to be something about haunting near-death experiences that makes one throw all the rules out the window, hmm?"

I shifted slightly against something warm and soft, but didn't open my eyes. The warmth seemed strange after spending so much time out in the harsh elements, but I was still way too sleepy to try to figure it out. Besides, it felt good.

"What?" I mumbled. My voice was muffled against some kind of fabric, though I didn't bother with that detail, either. "The hell're you talking about, Dean?"

My best friend chuckled. "Well, I won't spoil it for you. Just wanted to let you know, ma'am, that it is your turn for the watch."

"Great," I muttered without much enthusiasm. I could have used another fourteen or so more hours of sleep. "How long was I out for, Lewis?"

"Three hours, forty-five minutes, ma'am. Not much I'm afraid, but certainly a sight more than what you'd gotten the past two days, I hear." There was the sound of boots crunching against snow, and I figured Lieutenant Lewis, who'd probably been crouched, had now stood. "Let me know when you're ready, Captain, and I'll prepare the company to move out on your command."

I heard him walk away then, and somehow that's what finally motivated me to come to full alertness. Yawning deeply, I opened my eyes for the first time and found myself buried in Willis's chest; my head was resting just below his neck and shoulders, where his chest armor didn't quite reach, and he had both his arms wrapped firmly around me.

So much for no PDA in the field.

Trying to extricate myself as quickly and quietly as possible, I reluctantly moved a foot or two away from Willis before anyone else could notice how we'd ended up in our sleep. If it had been up to me, I would have spent the whole rest of the day simply sleeping in my husband's arms, but that just wasn't an option for now. Thankfully, I was able to succeed in disentangling myself without accidentally bumping into his ribs or waking him up, and I was glad that at least he was getting the extra sleep I could only dream about. Plus, the longer he stayed asleep, the less time he had to suffer through the pain of his wounds.

Satisfied that I'd be leaving my husband undisturbed, I dug my battle rifle out of my pack and collected a few extra clips for the perimeter watch. Since my shotgun was almost running on empty, I chose to save it for the dire situations we were sure to encounter once Bravo left the ridge. The rest of my gear would stay behind as well; for a patrol, I'd learned it was always best to travel light, so you could get back to the main lines faster when things went to hell.

The only exception to the rule was my helmet. Much as I couldn't stand to wear it anymore, I knew I had to have it with me for communication purposes. So, after stealing one last glance at Willis, I slung my rifle across my back and pulled on the helmet.

"Lewis?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Thanks for not saying anything about…how you found us."

I could hear the grin in his voice when he answered. "No problem, ma'am."

"Any COM traffic from the major while I was asleep?"

"Negative, Captain. Major Phillips has not contacted me even once since your departure. Perhaps he's forgotten my number."

A smirk spread across my face as I trudged my way through newly fallen snow. "Guess he's just not that into you, Dean. But hey, don't sweat it, buddy. I don't think you'll have time for an extramarital affair out here anyway."

Lieutenant Lewis snorted. "I won't even justify that with an answer, as you well know my _pregnant_ wife and I are quite content together." There was a pause before his voice came back, tone serious again. "Good luck, ma'am."

"Yeah. Thanks, Lewis. Cooper out."

Continuing past my company's established perimeter several minutes later, I gave a slight nod of acknowledgment to Sergeant Corey Russell and Second Lieutenant Laura Hillburn, who were manning the eastern OP together with one of our few company machine guns. Although saluting an officer in the battlefield was strictly forbidden, both winked their green lights back at me.

"How's it going, Hillburn? Any activity out here?" I asked my former platoon XO as I approached. She was standing just off to the side, rifle at the ready, while Russell lay prone behind the thirty cal a few yards in front of us. I tried to see past him and into the desolate-looking woods nearby, but I couldn't make out anything in the swirling white snow. There hadn't been much of the stuff when I'd first woken up, but now it fell steadily through the air.

The second lieutenant shrugged. "We've been here for a few hours already, Captain. There's been nothing so far. But…truth be told, ma'am, these on and off white-out conditions sure don't help when you're trying to get a visual."

"Don't worry about tagging the bastards, Lieutenant. If there's ever any doubt, err on the side of caution and dispatch the thing. Friendlies'll either show up on your FOF tags or announce their approach. Probably both, if they're smart."

Lieutenant Hillburn nodded, but she still seemed a bit skeptical.

"You haven't seen them yet, have you, Lieutenant?" I asked.

She hesitated before answering. "No, ma'am. I've always just managed to miss the patrols or watches that made contact."

The disappointment in her tone was hard to miss, and it disturbed me that a Marine who was no longer green---who had, in fact, been a part of the intense fighting in Cote D'Azur---could be so eager to witness the walking nightmare that was the Flood. Her nonchalance in the face of so grave an issue was a problem I was determined to remedy.

I grabbed her shoulder and jerked it back, making sure she was paying close attention to what I had to say before I spoke. "Hillburn! Listen to me, Marine. You do _not_ want to see what they are, what they sound like, or what they _do_ to people. Do you understand me?" My voice had unintentionally come out far from the calm I usually projected, and so she finally seemed to pick up on how serious this was.

"Y-yes, ma'am."

"Good," I said, letting her go. "Be grateful you haven't encountered them yet, Lieutenant. You can rest easy until you do." I took a step back and hefted my battle rifle once more, then inhaled a deep, calming breath. "Carry on, El-Tee."

"Yes, ma'am."

_Jesus_, I thought to myself as I walked away, coming close to shaking my head in frustration. _One major campaign under her belt, and she still doesn't get it. _I was suddenly very glad that I'd opted not to promote her along with Zackary Samson and Casey Frederick back on Sigma Octanus IV. Hillburn was a good Marine and a decent officer, but if she hadn't learned anything from her recent combat experiences, she was going to wind up getting killed fast.

_No. Not another kid's blood on my hands_, I thought._ I promised myself that after Beesner died on Heath, and I fail each time someone else under my command is lost._

Somehow, I had to figure out a way to get Bravo Company safely linked up with the rest of the battalion, and I had to do it without incurring anymore casualties. That began with seeing what I could discover on this patrol. After this final sweep of the area, hopefully we'd get to leave the ridge for good.

* * *

Corporal Kaleb Garian and Lieutenant Commander Stephanie Glorio were already waiting for me to begin the patrol, combing the area a good two klicks out from Bravo Company's main lines. I was rather surprised to still find them there, since I'd been sent out here to relieve them, but apparently they were part of the handful of Marines who'd agreed to pull a double shift. How the spook had any energy left after spending all that time locked up in the Covie base, I had no idea, yet here she was anyway.

"Commander, I can take over from here if you'd like," I said. "The corporal and I can handle this patrol while you get some rest, ma'am."

Her expression immediately took on a torn look; she clearly wanted to continue making the rounds, but exhaustion and stress were taking their toll. She finally settled for nodding her head slightly and giving me a weak, humorless smile. "Very well, Captain. I stand relieved. Keep your eyes peeled for trouble, and watch your six at all times. We haven't hit anything yet, but that doesn't mean the bastards aren't out here."

"Yes, ma'am. Of course."

Glorio turned to leave. Before she began her march, though, she called back, "You've got two hours, Cooper, and make sure you radio Major Phillips while you're at it. If he gives us the green light, I'll have you move your men out sooner."

"Understood, Commander."

After watching the ONI operative trudge quietly away, I turned my faceplate in Corporal Garian's direction. "Ready for another sweep, Corporal?"

"Affirmative, ma'am. Ready as I'll ever be."

_Yeah_, I thought to myself with a snort as I took point and motioned for my aide to follow. _That definitely makes two of us._

Thirty long minutes went by without any activity---not even so much as a blip on the motion tracker, save for us. Garian and I traveled the length of our side of the ridge twice, working hard to push through the layers upon layers of fresh, powdery snow to see if the enemy was nearby. All this taxing movement inevitably left my leg burning, and both of us were sweating and breathing heavy.

In the end, however, we still had nothing to show for it.

Eventually, my broken leg was hurting so badly I could no longer even hear the corporal's loud, hoarse breaths coming through our COM channel anymore. Still, I only stopped when I started seeing dark spots dancing across my vision. Holding my battle rifle close as I took a seat on a broken slab of rock, I figured now was a good a time as any to hail my battalion commander. I quickly opened a new private COM channel.

"Major Phillips, this is Captain Cooper. Please acknowledge, sir."

Static filled the line for what seemed like an eternity, but finally he answered. "Cooper? Jesus, Captain, where the hell have you been?"

"Sorry, sir. My team and I were delayed in the structure, because of the Flood and bad weather. There was no way to hail anyone from inside the place, sir, but we made it out. This is the first chance I've gotten to report in."

I heard him let out a heavy sigh. When he spoke next, I could tell how tired he was by his voice. "All right, Cooper. On to the sitrep. Casualties?"

"Two---" I thought of Castillas, and seeing his limp, frozen body on the ground next to Reynolds' sleeping form on my way to patrol. The lance corporal looked like he'd been dead for quite some time already. "Uh, _three_ KIA, sir."

"I see. And the target?"

"Taken care of, Major."

"That's good news, Cooper. Pass on my congratulations to Lieutenant Hawk for bringing it down, and to the rest of the team you led into the camp with you. You did a fine job, Captain."

"It…wasn't really us that did it, sir. The Prophet was already dead when we entered the structure. Every inch of the damn place was taken over by the Flood." _Well, almost._

He sighed for a second time. "Fine. Doesn't really matter how we did it, just as long as it got done."

"Sir? What are your orders?"

"We're not doing so hot down here, Captain. The rest of the 102nd is about a few klicks south of the base of the mountain, and the Flood's finally caught up with us. They've been busy alternating between attacking us and the Covenant for the last couple days now." The battalion commander paused, then said, "Cooper, you're going to have to find a way to get down here without any backup. We can't spare the manpower for reinforcements at the moment. Can you accomplish that, Marine?"

"Yes, sir," I answered. My voice contained much more confidence than I felt.

"Good. Then get your ass down here ASAP, Captain. Your company just might be our saving grace."

I swallowed hard at his words. "Sir, if I may ask, how bad is it?"

"Bad enough, Cooper. Phillips out."

As soon as the connection was cut, I pulled my canteen from my web belt, raised my helmet's visor, and took a quick sip, all while watching Corporal Garian standing guard several feet ahead. It sounded like even if I managed to get Bravo Company off this ridge intact somehow, we'd still be in a world of trouble once we hit bottom.

"Corporal!" I shouted to my aide then.

He turned instantly. "Ma'am?"

"Saddle up, Gary," I said, gritting my teeth hard as I got back on my feet. My rifle suddenly felt like it weighed hundreds of pounds---with my leg taking the brunt of them. "Major Phillips has given us new marching orders, so we're cutting this party short and heading back to the lines. You lead the way this time, Corporal."

"Yes, ma'am."

The return march through the frigid, barren eastern side of the ridge shouldn't have taken long, but visibility was getting steadily worse again. As the snow fell more densely and the wind blew harder, Garian and I found ourselves in the unenviable position of being separated from the company, and possibly with a second blizzard approaching.

That's probably why we didn't hear the sound until the Flood were already upon us.

Easily the most unnerving thing about being back up here with Bravo were the long stretches of seemingly peaceful silence. In the Flood-infested Covie base, that high-pitched, otherworldly noise had been what we'd come accustomed to hearing everywhere, though it had never gotten any easier on the psyche to handle. But within my company's perimeter, things had always been quiet and tranquil, the complete opposite of what a handful of us had known in the enemy camp.

And now, even the relative calm of the ridge was abruptly shattered.

Infection Forms suddenly swarmed at Garian and I from all sides, appearing out of thin air as the swirls of heavy snow kept us virtually blind. Sure enough, at the same time I started firing off my battle rifle at the creatures, I noticed tens of red blips appear on my motion tracker as well.

"Keep your trigger finger pulled down, Corporal!" I yelled into the COM while I barely managed to get the first dozen poppers off me. "Whatever you do, don't stop firing! And watch yourself, 'cause the big ones are sure to come next!"

Though I could no longer see him in the frenzy, I could hear my aide's MA5C going off like crazy somewhere nearby.

"Got it, Captain! But they're all over the---_ahhhhh_!"

I felt the blood drain from my face the very moment the agonized scream came over the radio, and my insides turned even colder than the temperature outside. "Garian!"

_No, no, no_. _Please, not another one of my aides_, I prayed frantically.

Bashing, punching, and shooting my way through the wall of tentacle balloons around me, I was finally able to get myself far enough away from the dwindling swarm that I couldn't see them anymore. But after moving several feet in Garian's direction, I found that I still couldn't see _him_, either. Once he'd stopped moving, his green blip had vanished from my motion tracker, and since he wasn't in visual range, the friend-or-foe indicators were useless as well.

"Corporal Garian, broadcast your position and give me your status!" I cried into the radio.

No answer.

"Garian! Stat---!"

My words came to an abrupt halt when I went crashing face-first into the cold, wet snow. Momentarily dazed by the icy shock, it took me a second to realize I'd just tripped over something. Something hard, but also something malleable.

And it hadn't made a sound.

Still gripping my rifle, I groaned in despair as I rolled onto my back. I had a terrible, sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that that something was probably Corporal Kaleb Garian's mutilated body. Even though I knew the remaining Infection Forms would find me if I stuck around too much longer, I had to know for sure if it'd really been him.

Sitting up with my BR55 at the ready, but without paying much attention to my motion tracker, was my first mistake.

I inhaled sharply when a huge Brute Flood form suddenly bounded in out of nowhere. Easily twice my height since I was still on the ground, the beast let out a twisted moan and promptly slapped the weapon right out of my hands.

"Oh, _shit_!" I exclaimed. What the hell was I supposed to do against the parasite without a gun?

It didn't even give me a chance to figure that one out. As the freak creature pulled back its appendage to slap me a second time, I barely managed to scramble backwards and out of the way in time. The Flood form ended up pummeling the space I'd occupied an instant ago, forming a sizable hole that went way beyond the first few puffy layers of snow, and actually into the hard-packed ice beneath. A loud _crack_ echoed through the ridge, but the thing was undeterred in its quest to destroy the entity that was me.

My second mistake came when I tried to roll out of the way of the creature's third slap; I hadn't been quite quick enough this time, and so I let out a piercing scream as the thing smacked me hard in the face. I felt my helmet break apart into three separate pieces, heard my nose crunch uncomfortably, and sensed the warm oozing of blood coming from the various small cuts now on my face.

Then it was on me.

With its carbine in hand, the Brute Flood form drove the butt of the weapon into me twice: once in the stomach, and once in the shoulder. Both hurt like hell despite my protective layer of armor, and both elicited sharp cries from me. But only one pushed me to the brink of blacking out, and that was the final bash to my injured leg.

For the first several seconds, the pain was so intense that I didn't even notice when the Flood form tossed me about ten feet away. All I could think about, all that encompassed my reality, was purely the pain. It was the first and only time in my life that I found myself glad to be embracing death soon.

In the next second, I landed hard in a mound of snow, sinking fast into a deep hole of my own making. It was the freezing cold, in combination with the blood now clogging up my airway, that finally jarred me back to the world around me.

Before I could even groan in pain, the Flood form leapt in beside me, its warbling loud and crazed as it made ready to deliver the coup de grace. I knew by now that I was in rough shape, and there was no way I could stop the fierce monster, but I had to at least try. I had to try with anything and everything I could muster.

So just as both its appendages came down at me, I pulled my two combat knives from their sheathes and brought them up.

I sliced into the creature's flailing arms hard, twisting the blades once they were inside for maximum effect. An even louder and more grotesque moan than before emerged from the creature now, but I kept hacking away at it anyway. This was one hand-to-hand fight I couldn't afford to lose.

With that thought in mind, I continued to stab, tear, and slice at the large Flood beast until my very energy ran out.


	39. Chapter 38: Stabbed in the Back

**Chapter Thirty-Eight: Stabbed in the Back**

**1411 Hours, October 6, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Betrayal," Planet Earth. Day Fifty-Seven of the Invasion of Earth**

Under normal circumstances, Brutes were nearly impossible for humans to take down in a one-on-one, hand-to-hand fight. Their oversized frame, thick hide, and incredible strength made them all but impervious to anything short of a direct grenade blast or a sustained burst of shredder rounds. But, while Brute Flood forms were even stronger than their uninfected counterparts because of the parasite, their hide was also made _softer_.

With rivulets of my own blood beginning to slip into my eyes and pain enveloping my body, I struggled against the infected beast that warbled over me. Dark-colored appendages continued coming at my face all the while, but I drove my combat knives into them each time, trying in any way possible to keep myself alive.

The sharp blades tore through the Flood form's ribbon-like skin, sending chunks of flesh and Flood juice all around me. Still, the monster never relented, and I couldn't quite keep up my hacking pace. Fighting on adrenaline alone could do many of things for you, but it couldn't make you superhuman.

I gritted my teeth hard while I took one last swipe at the beast's torso, hoping to gut it so that it would be incapacitated…or, at least, buy me more time. Tasting thick copper in my mouth, I sliced through the superficial skin layer with one of my knives---a diagonal cut right across its abdomen---then jammed the second blade in hard, all the way to the hilt. After that, I was spent.

As my body collapsed into the blanket of snow beneath me, I shut my eyes tight and tried to slow my rapid breathing. I knew I had to block out the excruciating pain, the sound of the Flood form's moans and my erratic heartbeat, so I could save my last conscious thought for my son.

The blood stinging my eyes made it harder to keep them closed, and the same liquid that I felt swirling in my mouth prevented me from speaking as well. But in that one split second I had before the Flood form finished me off, I was finally able to at least think it in my own head.

_I love you, Gabe. And I'm so sorry I didn't make it to be there for you, son._

A huge limb slammed into my stomach then, surprising me with its impact even though I'd known it was coming. I grunted as the little air that remained in my lungs was forcefully expelled, and a small spray of blood erupted from my mouth. At this point, with this kind of pain, I couldn't even open my eyes anymore if I wanted to. The next half-second felt like an eternity while I waited for the end.

Instead of one last blow, however, I suddenly heard what sounded like three firecrackers going off. Then it was over.

Almost a full minute went by before I realized I could still feel all my wounds. _Wait a second,_ I thought, gritting my teeth again._ If I'm supposed to be dead, how come everything's still hurting so damn bad? Aren't I supposed to separate from my body, or, at the very least, stop _feeling_ all of this?_

My internal musings were quickly drowned out by another burst of gunfire, longer this time, followed quickly by another. After a fourth barrage, the oddly muffled sound finally went silent---only to have a new one take its place.

"Captain! Oh, God, you need the medic…"

Though it seemed like it was coming from underwater, the sound registered in my brain as words, and eventually as a male voice. I couldn't quite place it yet, but it was a start.

"Captain Cooper? Are you…"

The voice trailed off, and I felt instead a set of cold fingers reaching for my neck. Though I could no longer hear the rushing of my pulse in my ears, I had a vague sense that I was---somehow---probably still alive.

I felt the fingers slide away from my neck after a moment, and heard a surprised gasp.

"Glad you're still with us, ma'am. I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm gonna get you outta here, ok? There's more Flood on their way."

My blurred vision was finally starting to clear by now, and I was able to see with some relief that the figure kneeling beside me was Corporal Kaleb Garian.

_The body I tripped over earlier must've been a Flood form, then_, I thought to myself. _Thank God Garian's not dead_. By the looks of his bloodied and fluid-drenched uniform, my aide had taken quite a beating himself, but at least he was---

I suddenly bit down hard on my sleeve and groaned sharply, trying with all my might not to scream in pain as the corporal grabbed at my leg. He immediately let go and took a step back, too stunned by my abrupt reanimation to speak, but the damage was done. It took me several seconds to recover enough to rebuke him.

"Christ, Garian, are you nuts?" I panted through a haze of pain, holding my thigh with both hands. "Doc's…out of morphine, and that damn freak creature…busted up my leg again. I don't need…you torturing it, too."

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Corporal Garian replied. "I just wanted to help move you, Captain. We don't have much time." Gripping his rifle in one hand, Garian dug into his pants pocket with the other and produced a final dose of morphine. "Doc gave me this before we left on patrol, ma'am. Last one. Kept it in my pocket with a thermal pack so the drug wouldn't freeze."

Garian glanced around us, doing a quick visual scan for nearby enemies before injecting me with the painkiller. A couple minutes later he helped me sit up, brushing off the fragments of helmet and wiping the blood from my face with snow so I could see better. Intense aches throbbed throughout my body from the thrashing I'd received, but I didn't complain. I was alive and so was Garian, and that was good enough for me right now.

Once I was back on my feet, I spat blood onto the already red-stained snow beneath me, then paused to let the slight feeling of vertigo pass. Before I was ready, my aide handed my discarded battle rifle back to me. I took it gingerly, growing nauseous and wincing as my various wounds gave me hell. Still, I knew that if we were to wait here until I was truly fine, we'd be dead.

"Thank you, Corporal," I said. "I know I bitched to you about the leg, but I am glad you're still here."

"So am I, ma'am." His green eyes brightened at my light tone of voice, even as one of his shoulders sagged; it looked like it was dislocated, and probably causing him a great deal of pain. "So am I."

Leaving the lead-filled, torn up body of the dead Brute Flood form behind, Garian and I began walking back across the snowy ridge. After wiping the gore off my combat knives, I replaced them in their sheaths, enjoying the momentary numbness the morphine afforded my leg. With a dose this low, I knew it wouldn't last long with this kind of exertion, but hopefully we'd make it back to the lines.

Of course, nothing was ever as easy as the way you imagined it in your head.

Without my helmet, I was cut off from all the electronics that warned me of approaching enemy forces; from now on, I'd have to rely on my own senses for that. And between the vicious smackdown I'd recently endured and the howling of the wind, my natural alert systems weren't exactly functioning at their peak.

I grabbed my beanie from my cargo pocket and pulled it on tight over my head, remembering what Doc Reynolds had told the company about hypothermia and, in my case, how to prevent oneself from going into shock. I could feel the cuts on my face still bleeding, and the helmet had done a number on me when it had broken; the side of my head was matted with thick, sticky blood. Keeping warm wasn't just for comfort anymore, but necessary to prevent my body from going into a potentially fatal state.

"Captain? You sure you're ok?" Garian asked with a sideways glance. "You don't look so good, ma'am."

I tried not to focus on how fast the ground seemed to be spinning all of a sudden. "Let's just get to the OP, Corporal. The faster the better."

"Understood, Captain."

Corporal Garian went to turn away from me then, and the motion ended up saving his life. Without warning, a hail of spiker rounds suddenly filled the air around us, and a plasma cannon opened up next.

"Dammit!" I growled as I threw myself flat into the snow. "Garian! Are you hit?"

"No, ma'am!" came the panicked reply. "But I can see 'em on my motion tracker, Captain! We've got more on approach!"

Puffs of snow and rock fragments kicked up around me while I tried to determine the best way to get ourselves to cover safely. Crawling blindly through a storm would only get us killed…unless the Flood couldn't see us, either.

_Exactly, _I thought.

Following the direction of the sound, I fired off bursts of my BR55 while I scrambled to the nearest boulder. Once there, I crouched behind the rock and yelled, "Move your ass, Corporal! Go!"

As soon as I saw my aide sprinting for the boulder, I came out from my cover and laid suppressive fire on the trigger-happy Flood forms. It wasn't much, considering we were up against a Covenant machine gun manned by the parasite, but it was enough. After firing one last MA5C burst of his own, Garian leaped next to me behind the solid stone cover and reloaded.

"Ma'am! I managed to dispatch the first Flood with the spiker, but the plasma cannon has five more targets beside it! What're we going to do?" he cried over the cacophony of weapons' fire.

I pressed my back hard against the rock, hoping that despite my increasing light-headedness, I could concentrate long enough to get us out of this skirmish. Not only were we outnumbered and up against a plasma cannon, but the Flood had innumerable other advantages over us as well. If I didn't call in for back-up support, we'd be finished in a matter of minutes.

With small chunks of rock being picked off over my unprotected head and plasma rounds boiling past, I turned to the corporal and gripped the front of his armor.

"Corporal! I want you to radio Lieutenant Hillburn immediately!" I ordered above the steadily growing din. "Tell her to call up PFC Roys and Sergeant Dandh to cover the OP, and to get her and Sergeant Russell here _right now_!" Roys and Dandh were already on this side of the perimeter watch, and Hillburn and Russell were the ones closest to us. The four were the only ones who'd be able to come help in time.

_You got your wish, Lieutenant, _I thought to myself as my aide quickly complied. _You're going to finally get to see what it feels like to fight the Flood. _Even as I fired off another several bursts from my battle rifle, I could already hear the high-pitched noise coming from the distance. _But be careful what you wish for, kid._

In the meantime, Corporal Garian composed himself quickly and radioed the OP team. His own rifle was going off continuously, as we both tried to keep the Flood forms as far away from us as possible. Still, even though we succeeded in that aspect of the skirmish, we couldn't stop the Infection Forms from crashing the scene.

I could tell they'd arrived just by their grotesque sound, and it was only a few minutes later that we actually saw them through the snow-filled haze. Most were the little tentacle balloons, large in numbers but relatively easy to kill. A handful of them, however, were an entirely new type of horror-vid monstrosity, and that's what made me hesitate.

The new things _crawled_. Crawled fast.

"Friendlies on approach, Captain!" my aide informed me while I dispatched the first creepy-crawly Flood. After pumping nearly two rounds of lead into the thing with my battle rifle, it had finally relented, but not before an ill-fated attempt at jumping towards my feet; my combat boots were now covered in its internal gunk.

"Good work, Gary!" I called back. I ducked behind the boulder once more to reload, and managed to avoid a hail of plasma cannon fire to the head that way. Luck seemed to be on my side for once…although the sharp burning that returned to my leg didn't exactly point to that conclusion. "What's the ETA, Corporal?"

Bringing my weapon back up once it was loaded, I paused in my renewed barrage of bullets to glance over at Garian. Judging by the shredded ribbons and yellow fluid around him, he'd just finished taking care of his own set of Infection Forms.

"Didn't get one, Captain! Only thing the El-Tee said was they're on their way!"

"Well, they better not get here when we're dead!" I yelled as I fired my BR55 at a fresh set of tentacle balloons. "Come on, Corporal, we'll have to take them out oursel---"

While Garian and I watched, a sudden _woosh_ing noise enveloped the ridge. It took me less than a second to recognize the sound.

"Get the hell down, Garian!"

The tremendous blast directly ahead of us shook the ground with such force I was sure the whole edge would break off the rest of the mountain. With my entire body plastered to the rock we'd been using for cover, I tried my best to cover my unprotected head with my arms and waited for the wave of heat to wash over us. When I opened my eyes again, all I could see was a column of thick smoke mingling with the snow particles in the air.

"Hillburn?" I shouted, maybe louder than I should have. For a moment, I couldn't hear anything but the high-pitched ringing in my ears.

"Yes, ma'am! The cavalry's arrived!" my former platoon XO answered.

It was only then that I bothered to stop hanging onto the boulder. Pulling myself up onto my feet, I was finally able to see the twisted blue metal that used to be a Covenant plasma cannon several meters in front of us---along with plenty of chunks of Brute Flood form bodies and yellow-purple blood strewn around it.

"Ma'am?" I heard Corporal Garian ask Lieutenant Hillburn through his external speakers (for my benefit) as he stood as well. "All due respect, but where the hell'd you get a rocket launcher?"

"The Flood, Corporal. They're better equipped than we'd like to think. Some even better than us, obviously."

"Yeah, but UNSC heavy weapons, though?" I asked her. Although we'd encountered Flood using human weaponry in the Covie base, they hadn't had _rocket launchers_. That was bad news.

"Yes, Captain," the second lieutenant replied. Hefting the launcher in her hands, she added, "Sergeant Russell picked this up on his last patrol shift, ma'am. Said it was one hell of a fight, but worth it once he'd captured this baby."

I shook my head slowly, not wanting to intensify the migraine coming on now that the skirmish was over. Yet another new detail on the Flood that made them even more deadly.

After carefully checking with Garian to make sure there weren't anymore parasitic life forms around, I stepped out from behind our cover and walked over to Hillburn and Russell.

Giving her a meaningful look, I said, "Not all fights against the Flood are going to be that easy, Lieutenant. You're not always going to have a gift-wrapped SPNKR waiting for you to use on them. But thanks for saving our ass."

"No problem, ma'am."

Giving the Brute Flood form corpses one last look, I wiped the blood rolling slowly into my eyes and turned to the three Marines before me. "All right, Marines. Let's get back to the lines. Major Phillips is waiting for us, and it'll take at least a few days to get to him. We'll round up your substitutes at the OP, then rendezvous with Bravo." I nodded at Second Lieutenant Hillburn. "You've got point, El-Tee."

"Understood, Captain."

* * *

It wasn't long before we reached Hillburn and Russell's former observation post. Despite our fears of another Flood swarm attacking us, the ridge area had remained mysteriously silent as we'd made our way back to the rest of Bravo Company.

The look on Sergeant Dandh's---and especially PFC Roys'---face as I walked up told me all I needed to know about my bloodied and defeated appearance. The bleeding from the cuts all over my face had finally stopped, but the pain throughout my body was increasing with each tiny movement. I felt drained.

"Uh, Captain Cooper---" Dandh began, but I waved my hand at him to cut him off.

"Don't worry about it, Sergeant. I'm still functioning, and I'll get myself checked out when time allows." I offered him and Roys a weak grin. "Just as long as Lieutenant Hawk doesn't get wind of this, I'll be fine."

Dandh shook his head and, though I couldn't see his expression under his helmet visor, I imagined it was out of amusement. "Yes, ma'am. Your flyboy's not going to be too happy to see you like that."

"Anything showing up on the electronics, Dandh?"

"No, ma'am. It's all been so dang quiet it's startin' to give me the creeps again…"

I frowned. Sometimes I wondered myself whether it was the silence or the action that was worst when it came to the Flood. "All right. Pack it up then, Sergeant. You too, Private. Major's orders."

With Dandh and Roys now joining our small group, I decided to lead the way along with Corporal Garian. He could handle communications with the Marines guarding our perimeter, and I could be the first back to let my company know of our change of plans.

To keep the Flood on their toes, I had the five of us spread out in a loose formation---though I stayed closer to Garian than the others were to us, since I no longer had a HUD to guide my way. Lucky for all of us, the weather had calmed down a bit by now, but there was still enough of a snowy swirl that it was difficult to distinguish faraway objects.

Though that last detail had, of course, crossed my mind, I didn't think much of it at first. All the Marines with helmets had FOF tags, and should that fail, we'd let whoever was on perimeter duty know of our impending arrival verbally as well.

Corporal Garian and I were only a few meters out when he suddenly tapped my shoulder.

"What is it, Corporal?" I asked.

He sounded slightly surprised by whatever communication he was getting through his helmet. "Lieu…tenant Commander Glorio, ma'am. She's…she wants us to authenticate our identities. Said she saw us coming up on her HUD."

_What is she doing running perimeter watch? _I wondered, confused. _And how the hell can she know we're on approach without…_ Oh. The answer was obvious. _Damn spooks and their secret spy tech. _

I tried my best to suppress a sigh. "That's fine, Garian. Follow the commander's orders, and let her know we'll be in visual range in about three minutes. Tell her to expect the other four about ten minutes later. They'll be bringing the SPNKR and the thirty cal with them."

"Yes, ma'am."

Not a moment later, I saw Garian shake his head out of the corner of my eye. Then he smacked the side of his helmet hard.

"Captain? I'm not getting anything on the general channel. Somehow the commander was able to hail me, but I can't find a way to hail her back."

_Great. ONI forgot to make its tech compatible with the rest of the universe? _I thought, more annoyed now than anything else.

Keeping my rifle slung on one shoulder, with my thumb hooked beneath the strap, I strained my eyes to see what lay ahead. "Commander Glorio will see us, Corporal. Just be sure to take it slow."

He acknowledged with an external wink of his light, and within the next steps, I could see Glorio in front of us.

I knew right away from the tone of her voice, however, that something was very, very wrong.

"You didn't authenticate your tags," she said, stone-faced and standing absolutely still no more than ten feet away. "Now I know why."

Furrowing my brow, I couldn't quite understand what she meant. It was only once some of the haze blew off to the side that I noticed the haunted, faraway look in her eyes. She wasn't really with us, at least not mentally. And that meant trouble.

Both Garian and I opened our mouths at the same time to stop her, but she was already speaking again.

"No. No, no, no, no, _no_! You took every last one of my men, you crazy zombie parasite _shit_! But you couldn't get to me, no. You know why? I hid, that's what I did. I crawled into that dark---oh, so, _so_ dark---room, and I waited and waited, but you never came. I escaped that tiny black room, that place worse than hell, and I'll be damned if you try to take me back."

She drew her gun so fast I hardly even perceived the motion.

"No! No! Don't---!" Corporal Garian cried.

His plea was drowned out by the report of the gun. In less than a second, Glorio had drawn, aimed, and fired her sidearm at a fellow service member.

I was helpless to stop it, and frozen in a kind of horror I thought I'd since become immune to following my encounters with the Flood. I just watched in a detached sort of way as the spook fired two more bullets into my aide's chest and stomach, blood and harsh groans erupting with each shot.

By the time I regained my senses, Corporal Kaleb Garian was gurgling his last breaths and bleeding steadily onto the snowy white ground.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" I finally screamed. "We're not Flood! We're not…shit…" I shut my eyes hard as Garian gasped loud, slowly choking on his own blood. "_We're not Flood! Put the fucking gun down!_"

Lieutenant Commander Glorio still seemed separate from what had just transpired, and her voice reflected as much. "Mind games, the Flood. They're all about playing little games to screw with your head, the bastards, but I'm smarter than that. You hear me? _Smarter_. People show up as covered in their filthy parasitic goo and smell as you, though, they're not playing. They're for real, they're real Flood. And I swear to God, I will not let you take me!"

Her pistol was already leveled at my chest while I was still reaching for my rifle, and so I knew that was it for me. One crazed soldier, mind warped by the unbelievable horrors of being held captive by the Flood for so long, was going to end my life.

When I closed my eyes to wait for the bullet, I realized I could no longer hear the gurgling sound coming from my left. Corporal Garian was dead.

_And I'll join you, buddy. Won't be long now._

Except as I braced myself for the impact, I ended up hearing an entirely different sound. An astonished gasp, followed by a muted moan.

Opening my eyes out of reflex, I found I was just in time to watch as Atalom 'Kuatee twisted the blade of his plasma sword around inside Glorio's abdomen. It was a clean stab, with the twin blue-white points sticking out in front and the rest buried to the hilt in the ONI operative's back, but the twisting of the sword was the coup de grace. In a matter of seconds, Atom had extricated his blade, and the lieutenant commander's body dropped face-first into a heap of snow in front of me.

For a long time, I couldn't even think of anything to say. I just kept remembering First Lieutenant Tracey Graham, my mentor and my friend when I'd still been new to Bravo, and how her corpse had looked when I'd found her dead in Cote D'Azur. She'd been stabbed to death by an Elite, too, and had been left lying in a pool of her own entrails---not unlike the way Glorio was now.

I fell to my knees in the snow, not even caring about the stinging cold wind that bit into the open cuts on my face, or the lightning jolt of pain that shot through my leg at the motion. This was all too much. Garian dead to my left, Glorio in front of me…it was almost like my nightmare. The nightmare I'd had during my leave at home in St. Louis, a repeating nightmare I'd had since the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV had ended. The only difference this time was the people, and the only thing missing was the third corpse. I shivered.

"Atom, what…" I swallowed hard, trying to force the words out despite the intense nausea I suddenly felt, and my sudden overwhelming urge to vomit. "What did you do?"

Entirely unfazed by the killings, the Elite stormed over to where I knelt, hands in the snow, and growled fiercely. He grabbed the collar of my uniform jacket roughly and yanked me back to my feet.

The pain that ripped through my leg at that moment was harsh enough to block out even the scene around me. I cried out sharply in pain, wondering seriously now whether or not Atom had been planning on betraying us all along, and if he was going to kill _me_ now.

"Do not be weak, human!" 'Kuatee roared while I waited for the stars circling my vision to subside. I could still feel him holding me up by my collar.

His voice went lower as he continued. "Losing a comrade is regrettable, and often quite distressing. Especially if that ally is a friend, like this corporal was to you. Yet tears will not change the outcome, and they are merely manifestations of weakness. And you, Captain, are a warrior, are you not? The shedding of tears, the releasing of emotional restraints, is unbecoming of your position."

I noticed for the first time then that my cheeks were wet all of a sudden, and it wasn't from the melting of snowflakes that occasionally hit my face. When I touched my gloved hand to it, my glove came away a watery-red color.

_Oh, God, _I thought, choking up again._ I can't believe he's…I can't believe Garian's really dead this time. _

My whole thought process stopped when 'Kuatee jerked my collar once more; another jolt of pain shot through my leg, and that was definitely enough to convince me to remain dry-eyed. _Anything_ that would keep that kind of pain at bay, I'd do.

"Finished with your gestures of futility, human?"

I didn't answer him right away, and after a moment he finally let go of me. I stood staring off to the side, trying to avoid looking at the bodies---and trying to avoid looking at him. "You killed her. How do I know you're not going to do the same to the rest of us?"

The Elite scoffed. "I saved your _life_, Captain. Her body may have escaped being consumed by the parasite, but her mind did not. She did not _believe_ the two of you were parasitic beings; to her, you _were_ parasitic beings. No matter your protests, she was intent on her course of action by then. And she would have killed you as well, had I not stopped her."

I'd hardly been able to gather myself together by the time the others started trickling in, but I did notice that Second Lieutenant Hillburn was the first to arrive.

"What…the…" she started, but the scene spoke for itself. She didn't go on, but instead stiffened when I approached her.

"Do you see now, Lieutenant? You wanted to fight the Flood, right? Check out what they do? _This_ is what they do, Hillburn. They tear up your body and turn you into a mindless zombie. Or, failing that, they fuck you up so bad in the head that you eventually turn on your own. One way or the other, the Flood _always_ win." Gripping my rifle with white knuckles, I turned in the direction 'Kuatee had gone off. "Remember that, El-Tee."


	40. Chapter 39: Indivisible 1

Author's Note: First of all, thanks so much for the awesome reviews!! Loved 'em all, and I'm really glad to see you guys are still liking the story. Your feedback means a lot, and I really appreciate your comments.

Now, onto business. I decided to break this next chapter up into two parts, and for two reasons. One, I already have this initial segment finished, but now I have about 2-3 weeks of exams coming up where I won't be able to write any more of it for a while (sorry!). So, if I do it this way, you won't have to wait as long for a new chappy. Two, I think it would've ended up being too long if I'd kept it as a single installment.

Anyway, as always, I hope you enjoy. And please please please review, 'cause we're in the home stretch now---there's only 3-4 chapters left till the finale!

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Chapter Thirty-Nine: Indivisible, Part One

**1806 Hours, October 12, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Gamble," Planet Earth. ****Day Sixty-Three of the Invasion of Earth**

Sometimes I wondered how I was still able to function, day in and day out, after seeing so many of the people I'd lived with and worked with and cared for die awful deaths right beside me. When I'd spent over a month in the intensive care unit orbiting Heath, when I'd watched Private Beesner bleed out in the Reatan Desert, when I was fighting in Cote D'Azur…each and every time, I honestly believed that things couldn't get any worse. That if I'd been able to survive _these_ places and _these_ circumstances, I could pull my Marines and myself out of anything.

But I never thought we'd have to fight on Earth.

In hindsight, that was probably more a product of wishful thinking than anything else. Isn't that what HighCom had always prepared for? What the whole human race had collectively held their breaths for for longer than I'd even been alive? It was like the elephant in the room, the inevitable event no one could foresee except to say that it _would_ happen eventually. As the Outer Colonies were gradually lost over the years and the Covenant moved steadily inward, I guess I should have come to terms with that a lot sooner.

Nearly a week had gone by since the intrepid ONI operative had murdered my aide, and received a plasma sword to the kidneys for it. Until the very moment Lieutenant Commander Glorio had pulled the trigger, I wouldn't have pegged her for the nutty type. Affected by terrible events, like the rest of us, yes, but never someone who was capable of a complete loss of sanity like that. And now, because of it, yet another one of my good friends was dead.

The tears I'd shed for Corporal Kaleb Garian may have stopped through 'Kuatee's unorthodox but effective method of persuasion, but the memories didn't. I could still recall the intensity of Garian's eyes, a darker shade of green than my own, and the straight-edged toughness in his bearing that made Kaleb who he was: a strong, loyal Marine, and a valued friend that always had your six. I missed the poor kid a lot, and I often found myself going back to that day, wondering what I could have done differently that might have saved him.

A sharp stab of pain from my leg abruptly brought me back to the present.

"Christ, Doc," I said through gritted teeth, wincing. "I swear, you must take some kind of twisted pleasure in hurting me."

Doc Reynolds chuckled. "Of course not, ma'am. Now please, hold still. I've just got one more injection to go, and then you can lay off the leg for a bit."

"You'd better not be bullshitting me this time, Reynolds. You've been saying the same thing for the past fifteen minutes."

"I'm almost done, Captain, I promise." He took a second to look up from checking my leg and scowled at me. "You know, this would have been more than just half-healed by now if you'd avoided wrestling a Flood-Brute in the snow."

I snorted. "Well, next time a bloodthirsty zombie comes by, I'll be sure to ask it nicely to please not try to kill me."

The medic continued working without comment this time, though the quick flash of amusement I saw in his blue eyes spoke for itself.

Trying to get my mind off the renewed pain in my broken leg---as well as the images of my dead aide---I thought instead of something more useful. Like how I was going to get Bravo past the large assembly of Covenant soldiers at the bottom of the mountain, which currently separated us from the rest of our battalion.

I let out a heavy sigh and briefly shut my eyes. Six long days of combating Flood and weather alike to hike down from the ridge, and we still had an army of aliens to bypass before we reached our next objective.

With the whole of Bravo Company, especially the officers, running on little to no sleep or food, it was going to be a difficult task. With the added strain of wounds, deaths, and nearly depleted supplies, however, it seemed almost impossible. How did Major Phillips think _we_ were supposed to save _Battalion's_ ass, when we hadn't even been in time to take out the Covenant Prophet ourselves?

In the end, though, I knew that regardless of all that, I couldn't let Battalion down. After all, there was no more Foxtrot Base to fall back to, and no reinforcements that could come in to help the 102nd. Once again, we were surrounded by enemies on all sides, with our fate resting solely on our ability to survive in these conditions.

And I'd be damned if I had to see more of my men die. There had to be a way.

"All right, Captain," Reynolds suddenly said with a light tap on my shin. "You should be good to go now, ma'am. I sealed up the wound with some fresh biofoam, wrapped it up in new bandages, and gave you another dose of the bone enhancer. It's really been helping your leg out a lot. Your femur's still a little behind in the healing process because of all of the strenuous motion, but it seems to be setting itself properly now, and the surrounding bone is still hard. All good signs, Captain." He gave me an apologetic look then. "I'm sorry I haven't had anything for the pain lately, ma'am. You'll see as the leg continues to improve, however, that you'll also see a continued reduction in pain."

"Thanks. I owe you yet another one, Doc," I said. "And don't worry about the morphine; I've managed. If I'd had as much pain these past couple days as I had when I first broke it, I don't think I'd ever been able to make that hike."

Shifting my weight onto my arms, I was able to sit up from my supine position on a flattened log, then position myself so that my legs dangled from the edge of the huge felled tree. As I reached for my rifle, I caught sight of Willis standing a few yards away, just out of earshot. He seemed to be cradling his side slightly.

"Hey, Doc?"

The petty officer turned around, having already begun to walk off in the direction of his next patient. "Yes, ma'am?"

I nodded over to Willis before meeting Reynolds' gaze. "How's my flyboy doing, Michael?"

"I checked his ribs a little earlier. He's definitely hurting some, but he's healing up ok, same as you. I wouldn't worry too much. These things just take time, Captain." He offered me a small grin. "Something you've never really learned."

For a moment I smiled back, only to seize up when pain shot across my face. Though Reynolds had taken care of the cuts I'd received from my fight with the Brute---they were no more than rapidly disappearing scars by now---the occasional discomfort still existed. _God, am I going to love the day where I don't have to get beat up anymore_, I thought, absently rubbing my cheek. _Feels like it's been happening to me all my life_.

"Captain? Are you ok?"

"Yeah, Doc. Go ahead and get the others squared away. We'll need to get moving again in a few minutes."

With that the medic nodded, and quickly turned once more to go about his work. I sat there for another moment, continuing to watch Willis as he spoke to one of the Marines. Then, when the other Marine walked away, I saw my husband glance in my direction.

He came up to me slowly, running a hand over his short hair while holding his helmet in the other, SMG slung diagonally across his back. Though I'd been seeing that same look of exhaustion on everyone's face lately, I couldn't help but feel even more affected when it was on Willis's face. It was awful to see someone you loved so much hurting so bad, and not being able to fix it.

I realized now what it must've been like for him six days ago, seeing me come back all roughed up and bleeding from my encounter with the Brute Flood form. And knowing what had happened afterwards to Garian and Glorio, right in front of me.

As usual, though, Willis put on a brave face for me. "So? What's the latest diagnosis, Coop?"

I shrugged, looking down at the ground a foot or so beneath my feet. "Leg checks out. It's nowhere near being fully healed yet, but Doc says it's on its way."

My husband stepped closer, gently placing his hand on the side of my head, where the Flood form had crushed my helmet and left behind a sizable gash. "What about the concussion?"

"Makes me a little dizzy sometimes, just like all the other ones I've had." I sighed and looked up at him for the first time. Reaching up to touch his shoulder, I ran my hand up and down his arm reassuringly. "Don't worry. I'm ok, honey. I'm ok."

Maybe if I said it out loud enough, I'd even believe it myself.

He moved closer still, invading the space where my legs were spread apart as I sat. Then he carefully wrapped his arms around me, and I hugged him back.

"I'm sorry, Natalie. I'm so sorry, about all of this."

"I know." I leaned into him as I buried my face in his shoulder, holding him as tight as I dared, not wanting to hurt his ribs. Despite my best efforts, my voice faltered a little as I added, "I worry about Gabriel a lot, Willis. I really miss our son, and I don't want a future like this for him."

"Neither do I, Coop," Willis replied softly. "We just have to keep going, honey. We have to keep fighting till it's done."

Still holding me tight, he rested his chin on my head for a moment, and we stayed that way for a long while before I finally had to pull back. I'd already used up a great deal of self-control throughout the mission, and after all these weeks, I wasn't sure how much longer I could handle it---especially when we were reminded of our mortality every second of every day.

Having his body right up against my own, however, was pushing beyond even that. I could hardly stand having him this close, with my legs all but wrapped around his waist, knowing I couldn't do anything about it. And judging by Willis's involuntary response, he seemed to be having the same problem.

And yet I knew that I absolutely could not afford to give in.

"We should go, Will," I said to him, my voice coming out low and hoarse all of a sudden. For all my efforts at moving away, we still hadn't actually separated that much.

Willis, too, had to clear his throat before he spoke, but his voice sounded scratchy nonetheless. "Yeah." He took a deep breath and sighed, resigned. "You're right, Cooper."

It was a good thing no one else was around anymore. Because even though nothing had happened, we were both flushed by the time Willis backed away.

* * *

Once Bravo Company had reached the lower elevations, we found that it hadn't been snowing anymore. Here at the base of the mountain, there was only a fine layer sprinkled on the ground, and nothing that even approached the whiteout conditions we'd experienced on the ridge. The fiercely cold wind was, however, still present, and it blew in gusty intervals, making my eyes water.

After wiping my eyes on my sleeve for the millionth time, I turned to First Lieutenant Zackary Samson, who was crouching beside me. "Well, Lieutenant? How many are out there?"

"Hard to give a precise number, ma'am. Looks like there's some sort of assembly area set up over there, and I'd guess there's at least a platoon or so. They've got the rest of their force hiding in the wings, though. It goes off into the forested area, and I can't see anything past all those trees."

Holding my battle rifle by its strap in one hand, I pulled my field binoculars out of my pocket with the other and did a quick sweep of the low-lying area.

The Covenant definitely seemed ready for any kind of frontal assault. Two sniper towers, held up by gravitational beams, were posted on either side of their makeshift camp, along with four strategically deployed plasma cannons. Whether they were waiting for us or the Flood was debatable, but either way, it was going to take some fancy maneuvering to get past them.

The rest of the 102nd Battalion, however, lay just on the other side of that forested area. With Covenant running patrols on the flanks, and an unknown number of Flood roaming the outskirts of the perimeter, the only way to link back up with Major Phillips was straight through here.

I sighed, placing my binoculars back into my cargo pockets. "All right, El-Tee. Get a channel open to the XO. Tell him he's got some orders to relay to the company for me."

"Right away, Captain."

I waited for Samson to give me the nod to say Lewis was on the line, then immediately started issuing commands.

"Zack, you and first platoon are going to come right up the middle with me. We'll be the bait and feign an all-out attack at their center, keep 'em busy on us. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Lewis'll head up the left flank with second and third platoons. Tell him to make sure he doesn't go too wide, but stays hidden enough from the flanking patrols to come in and bowl the Covies over when I send the order. Timing's going to be everything on this. Got all that so far, Lieutenant?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Next, we're going to have a squad from third platoon stay behind, with Lieutenant Hawk commanding. They'll set up shop back here to cover our six, and I'll have Hawk and a couple others sniping as we go in. That way, once first platoon gets to the forested area, the El-Tee and his squad will just have to follow in after us. This'll also give us a good fallback point initially if things get too hairy---in which case we'll have to try this again some other way. Questions?"

Lieutenant Samson paused, no doubt to hear Lewis's response, then turned to me and shook his head.

"Excellent. Let's get going, then."

It was pretty clear, even before Samson and I went in with first platoon a half-hour later, that there wasn't going to be any way to completely obliterate the Covenant force that stood in our path. We were going to merely attempt to cut down their numbers enough so that we could get past them to hook up with Battalion.

This fact did, however, present the almost unbearable circumstance of having Willis cover our backs as we pushed forward. In effect, we were leaving him and his squad behind---something I found upsetting on more than just a personal level. But if anything, anything at all, happened to Willis…I knew it would kill me as surely as an overcharged plasma shot to the head.

I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Thinking like that wasn't going to help. Making sure I got all the Covies I could before Willis showed up was.

"Samson?"

"Ma'am?"

"Whenever you're ready, Lieutenant."

"Yes, Captain." The young platoon leader was quiet a moment, probably conferring with Lewis and the rest of first platoon. Then, he replied, "Lieutenants Frederick and Lewis are on the move, ma'am, and Lieutenant Hawk and his team are in position."

I nodded, bringing my rifle to bear as I stood. "All right. Now it's our turn."


	41. Chapter 40: Indivisible 2

**Chapter Forty: Indivisible, Part Two**

**1910 Hours, October 12, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Battering Ram," Planet Earth. Day Sixty-Three of the Invasion of Earth**

I checked to make sure my rifle's load was chambered and full before I led first platoon on the charge. Without support, I knew it would be akin to a suicide run---but with Willis watching our six, I felt more confident that this would work.

"Samson, I want those sniper towers out of commission before any projectiles start flying," I said to first platoon's commander. "Otherwise, this could easily be over before it even starts."

"Yes, ma'am. On it."

Gripping my rifle hard, I took a deep breath and waited.

The first _crack_ echoed crisp and clear through the flat, snow-dusted plain. I took a second to glance up from behind my low cover, watching intently as one Jackal's body dropped from its tower. Then, before I could even shift my eyes to the next target, the second Jackal was already dead, too.

That's when the plasma cannons finally opened up.

"Move it, first platoon!" I called through the sudden hail of boiling plasma. "Move it up _now _and keep your heads low!"

Obeying my own command, I brought my rifle to bear and fired back at the alien horde, pushing my way forward all the while. The light layer of snow beneath my boots was hard-packed and solid, allowing me to run faster because of the increased traction. I had just managed to reach a large boulder several yards ahead when the first Brute shot round sailed past me.

"Watch out!"

I ducked my head as the explosive blew several feet to my left, making the ground around me vibrate with its detonation. A burst of snow and dirt filled the air for an instant, then quickly dissipated to reveal a small, blackened hole. Luckily, though, no one had been hit. Yet.

"Get those Brutes with the explosives first!" I called over the increasing noise enveloping my ears. "Samson! Tell Lieutenant Hawk we need those plasma cannons shut down ASAP! And where the hell's our MG?"

The first lieutenant was pouring fire onto the Grunts charging for us, still several yards away. Using his MA5C assault rifle, he managed to dispatch three of the bastards before turning to me. From his crouched position, Lieutenant Samson said as he reloaded, "Snipers got the message, ma'am! Dandh and Foster are coming up with our thirty cal now!"

"All right!" I yelled back. "Once we get this first wave down, El-Tee, I want you to hail Lewis and get a sitrep from the other platoons. As soon as they're where I want 'em, we're going to smash a path right through these Covies."

"Understood, Captain!"

I came out from my cover then, saw another trio of Grunts running across the field to get on our flanks, and fired a steady stream of lead at them.

Four shots from my BR55 was all it took. The first three-round burst was a textbook headshot, literally stopping the lead alien dead in its tracks. A spray of blue blood erupted from the back of its skull, making the Grunt cartwheel sideways a bit from the impact of bullets on a body in motion. The second burst hit the next Grunt in the side of its gut, and elicited a sharp yelp from the creature just before it hit the ground, dead. The last two that brought up the rear suffered similar fates.

After giving our line a quick glance, I decided it was time to advance. The first several meters of the field we had to get past were already full of Covie bodies, and the thin sheen of snow beneath them was covered in multicolored alien blood.

"First platoon!" I cried, waving my arms as I stepped out from behind cover. "Let's go! Keep pressing forward, Marines, keep going!"

As I ran fast across the field, zigzagging to avoid the puffs of plasma and needler rounds that kicked up all around me, I heard another succession of sharp _cracks_ from Willis's customized S2-AM sniper rifle. I could tell from the sound of the report that he'd since changed firing positions, and I had no doubt that he'd switch it up again once he stopped firing this time as well. Still, though he was clearly taking care of himself and his squad, one of the things I feared most was the Covenant finally pinpointing where the sniper shots were coming from…and then putting all their energy into destroying that threat.

But I knew there was no time to think of that now. Holding onto my rifle with both hands, I jumped into a rare patch of slushy snow behind a loose formation of rocks, and threw myself flat just in time. The plasma gunner closest to me must've seen me rushing up alone, ahead of first platoon, and had thankfully hesitated till this instant to start tearing my position apart with plasma fire.

Face pressing hard against the cold snow, which was blended with generous amounts of dirt and decaying underbrush, I had no choice but to stay prone in the uncomfortable mess while I waited for something else to grab the gunner's attention. Because the rocks protecting me were so scattered and low, I knew that even a minor movement on my part could mean an instantly torn up limb---or worse.

"Someone get suppressive fire on that thing _right now_!" I screamed. I shut my eyes tight and shoved my gloved hands against my ears, trying to keep the awful rattling of the plasma cannon out of my mind. Since I'd been forced to go without the benefits of a sound-dampening helmet for days now, I could barely think with that incredible din continuously bombarding my eardrums.

I felt the presence of---rather than saw---the rest of first platoon suddenly coming up alongside me, guns blazing at the defending Covenant troops. A few moments later, one of the Marines beside me tapped my shoulder plate with his boot, then shouted, "Captain! We've diverted the cannon's fire! Sarge's set up our thirty cal on your right, and he's blasting away at those damn Covies now!"

When I pulled myself up to a crouch, following my subordinate's announcement, I brought my rifle up between two of the rocks and fired off three rapid bursts at the plasma gunner.

The Grunt was turned and busy trying to match Dandh's machine gun fire, so it was an easy shot. Because the Grunt was no longer protected by the gun's built-in shields, my rounds instantly pierced the alien's neck, chest, and hindquarters in quick succession, causing its methane mask to burst and its blood to splatter all across the weapon. Its corpse crumpled to one side and fell heavily to the ground.

I turned to Lieutenant Samson then, who I'd now identified as the Marine next to me, and asked, "How many guns does that leave us, El-Tee?"

I hadn't noticed how fast I was breathing, or how hard my heart was hammering inside my chest, until I heard my voice come out in one long gasp.

"Two more plasma cannons to go, ma'am!" he cried over a burst of MA5C fire. "Lieutenant Hawk's been covering our asses the whole time and getting a lot of Marines out of some rough spots, but we _really_ need these guns out, Captain."

"Agreed, Lieutenant. Send Hawk the message, then."

"Yes, ma'am."

Leaving Samson to liaison with the rest of my split company members, I quickly turned my focus to the next biggest threat: the Brutes. Though I heard a couple of the other snipers firing round after round into our enemies, there were still plenty of the command creatures left.

"Atom!" I called when I'd finally managed to spot the Elite a few yards away. Waiting for a break in the stream of plasma and other deadly projectiles saturating the air, I pushed my bad leg to its limits to sprint for his position, all but throwing myself behind more loose rocks when I got there.

Though I tried not to show it, my only-partially healed leg burned with staggering pain once I settled myself down. I pressed my back hard against the rock and reloaded while plasma fire continued to rain down hard on our position. We couldn't move until the guns overheated, so, in the meantime, I tried every trick in the book to get my mind off the pain.

"What is it, human?" 'Kuatee replied. He was too busy alternating between ducking to avoid incoming fire and letting loose with his carbine to glance down at me when he spoke.

"Wanna give me some help taking out those Brutes?" I asked after inhaling a few generous lungfuls of oxygen.

While I waited for him to answer, I stole a fleeting glance at the mob of aliens still left until we reached the start of the wooded area, and I let out an aggravated sigh. _There's a lot more Covies down here than I realized from up on the hill, _I thought to myself. _No matter how many we bring down, there's always new ones taking their place. I may have to get second and third platoons to cut in sooner than I'd_---

A glowing plasma grenade suddenly came hurtling near our cover, striking the other side of the rock that lay directly in front of me.

"Oh, _shit_!" I yelled. "Grenade!"

'Kuatee and I barely had enough time to scramble back from our cover and duck before the explosive blew ahead of us. Chunks of dark gray rock and debris showered down on me as I lay parallel to the ground, protecting my head with my armor-plated arms. When I opened my eyes again, I was glad to see that the rifle in my hand was still in one piece, although the ringing in my ears continued for quite some time.

I had the vague sensation of someone shaking me as I lay there, dazed, for a moment longer, and I couldn't figure out why I hadn't moved yet until another one of my Marines was in my face. I recognized him instantly as Sergeant Dandh, though I couldn't hear a word he appeared to be shouting at me. All I knew was that I ended up being dragged another couple feet away---out of the open.

"Ma'am, our lines are at a standstill! We can't press forward beyond this point without some serious heavy weaponry! There's just too many of them bastards!"

Before I could respond to Dandh, whose voice seemed to be coming from a far-off distance rather than right in front of me, I suddenly felt someone else yank me up to my knees and shake me.

"Captain! You must return to the present, and regain control of your faculties. Your warriors are in need of their leader."

Even as I began to sense the thick, coppery taste of blood welling up in my mouth, somehow my brain kicked back into gear right then. Glancing up at Dandh, I said, "Ok." I spat out the blood in my mouth so I could speak more clearly, and at the same time, noticed that the gash on the side of my head was starting to bleed again. I tried my best to ignore it, though I was growing more than a little dizzy. "Sergeant, I want you to go find Lieutenant Samson, and let him know it's time. We may not've quite reached the woods yet, but we need finish this up _now_. Make sure he signals the sniper team to disengage and move up with us, too. And Atom, you're with me on Brute mop-up duty. Got it?"

Sergeant Dandh nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Let us go shed more Jiralhanae blood, Captain. My brothers and I have been waiting a long time to exact our revenge on those odious traitors." At that moment, I could've sworn I heard a grin in his voice. "There will be no Great Journey for them. Only _sweet_ suffering."

* * *

If I'd thought that the battle had been chaotic before, I had no idea what was in store for us once Lieutenant Lewis came in with the rest of Bravo Company.

Unlike the absolute pummeling we'd been receiving from the Covenant earlier, we now became more evenly matched. Once I gave the order via Samson, three more thirty-caliber machine guns were suddenly opened up on the Covies's flank, and dozens of my Marines came spilling out into the melee after them.

Though several Jackals had tried to replace their snipers on the towers a number of times during the course of the fighting, Willis and his squad had always managed to keep the bastards who shot up the gravitational beams conveniently dead upon arrival, so as to prevent the rest of us from being picked off one by one. And, by the time I'd ordered the snipers to abandon their positions, Second Lieutenant Hillburn had already made full use of her captured SPNKR by making sure the towers would never be operational again.

It seemed that after a rough start, things were finally starting to go our way.

"Come on, Marines!" I shouted at whoever could hear me above the constant barrage of projectiles in the air. "Let's break a hole in their line!"

Surrounded by a sea of my own men on my flanks, I aimed and fired several bursts at a mixed group of Jackals and Grunts, then set my sights on a badly wounded Brute nearby. Though shuffling around and steadily dripping dark violet blood from a number of wounds, the tough beast was still roaring, trying to fight off four Marines with its equally damaged spiker gun. I brought my rifle level with its abdomen, ready to finish the damn thing off, when 'Kuatee suddenly came up in a blur of motion. Thrusting his plasma sword upward with inhuman speed, the Elite managed to gut the dying Brute in one elegant swipe, hip to shoulder. After letting out one final roar, the Brute gave up on its struggle, and died gurgling on the snow-and-dirt-caked ground.

I froze for just a second, and tried not to think of Corporal Garian and Lieutenant Commander Glorio.

"The rush of battle feels even greater when one is maiming the demon of your race," 'Kuatee announced proudly. "I pray the fate of all the Jiralhanae is met with such a slow, painful end."

It was in that moment, standing there in a semi-wet, dirtied, and blood-soaked uniform---some of it mine, most of it courtesy of the Covies I'd killed---that I finally realized the true nature of my connection to the Elite. I knew now why I'd slowly grown to tolerate him, and later, even to respect him and his skill, despite what he was.

Because not only did we share a common enemy, but we also shared part of a hatred and a rage so strong that it took our entire respective species to hold onto. The large-scale wrongs and betrayals inflicted on your species by another was something you couldn't forget or forgive, and I knew now that that was something we both understood. Elites had their Brutes, and us humans had the whole Covenant.

There was still the detail of 'Kuatee belonging to that former faction of Covenant, however, and I didn't think I'd ever be able to fully reconcile with that. But I sensed that Atalom realized this as well. He knew we'd only be allies for as long as we had to to end the war, and that after that, even though we might even end up separating in peace, it was done.

"Captain Cooper!"

The sudden urgent cry was more than enough to bring me crashing back to the present. _Please, _please_ don't tell me the Flood decided to join in on the fun, too, _I thought to myself.

I immediately turned in the direction of the voice, only to be met with the panic-stricken gaze of First Lieutenant Casey Frederick, second platoon's commander. He had his helmet visor raised, and I could see the beads of sweat forming across his forehead.

"Well, Lieutenant?"

"Ma'am, I'm getting reports from my first and third squads. They've just broken through to fringe elements of Charlie Company, off on the far right flank. Looks like Charlie'll be attacking from another angle soon to help us get through the forest---and then to the rest of Battalion. But they've also told me the Covies've mobilized the one last scrap of armor they have. It's blowing the shit out of them, Captain. And now it's coming for us."

"Wraith tank?" I asked incredulously, remembering the final tank battle Bravo had witnessed before reinforcing---and subsequently abandoning---the 21st ODST Battalion's lines. "I thought the Covies around here didn't have any left."

My dread increased tenfold as the first lieutenant shook his head. "No, ma'am. They were holding out on us, Captain. And it sounds like it's got a two-Ghost escort running with it, too."

"_Fuck._" I ran a quick hand through my hair and replied, "All right, Casey. Radio Lewis immediately, tell him to figure out what we've got left as far as anything heavy goes. Rockets, MGs, whatever. That's what we'll be directing at the enemy vehicles. Then you get back to me with the info the second he knows. Is that understood, El-Tee?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. What's the ETA on that thing getting in range?"

"Four minutes, Captain. Ghosts'll be here in one."

I nodded, keeping my mounting fears to myself. "Then you'd better get moving, Frederick."

"Yes, ma'am!"

As the lieutenant rushed off to his duties, I returned my attention to the battlefield. It seemed like everywhere I looked now, there were twisted corpses, wreckage, scattered pieces of equipment, and vast amounts of blood covering the ground. But if we wanted to make it to Battalion, we had to forge ahead.

Spotting a small group of third platoon's Marines combating a renewed wave of Brutes and Jackals on my left, I started running in at the aliens from their flank. I picked up one of the fallen Covies's plasma grenades along the way as well, and, quickly slinging my rifle around my shoulder, primed one 'nade in each hand.

"Marines, hit the deck!" I yelled, hurtling the two glowing grenades one after the other into the horde of aliens. My battle rifle was already tucked back in my arms when I balled my body up against a low ditch, waiting for the explosives to burst.

A piercing roar from one of the Brutes was the only thing I heard before a loud explosion rocked the earth beneath me. _Must've stuck that son of a bitch, _I thought, even as my teeth rattled from the twin detonations. _Serves the thing right for making my life a living hell._

The second the ground stopped shaking, I was already back on my feet, keeping my body crouched but gun forward while I pulled the trigger at those who'd survived. A Jackal with half its body already covered in blood took three more of my bullets to the face, ending its miserable existence. Another birdlike Covie, shield flaring red from the blasts, came up short on wit when I aimed down my sights and blew its skull wide open.

Atalom 'Kuatee came swooping in to help my Marines with the remaining Brutes, and so I took the opportunity to crouch back down behind cover.

Shutting my eyes tight, I winced once more as pain shot through my leg; now that I gave myself a moment to think about it, it made sure to remind me that it wasn't quite one hundred percent just yet. I shoved it out of my mind again as best I could, though, and instead wiped at the blood I could feel sliding down my neck from my Flood-induced head wound. It had opened back up slightly from the grenade that had gone off too close to Atom and I, and though it wasn't bleeding profusely, I couldn't get it to completely stop, either.

I suddenly felt light-headed and nauseous as I looked down at my weapon, combating the urge to vomit.

Was it possible that at this rate, I'd bleed out before the fight was over? The gray T-shirt I wore beneath my battledress jacket and armor plating was already drenched in blood that spilled, slowly but steadily, from my head wound. The garment clung to me as if wet with water or sweat, but the distinct reddish hue the shirt had acquired made it clear which liquid was truly predominant.

_Gabe…I've gotta keep going for my son. And Willis. I can't let him find me passed out somewhere…or dead. It'd kill him, too._

Resolved, I took a deep breath and forced myself to concentrate again. After ejecting a newly spent clip from my battle rifle, I shoved my hand in my pocket and produced a fresh one, rapidly slapping it into place. It was only once I'd cocked the weapon that my brain finally caught up with my automatic motions: this was my very last clip.

_Then I'd better make it count, _I thought wearily.

"Captain!" Lieutenant Frederick shouted at me just as I was gearing back up. Apparently, it hadn't taken him long to get a hold of Lewis. _Jesus_, I thought._ Hope my buddy's doing ok, too._

"Give it to me fast, Lieutenant!" I yelled back above the sounds of gunfire. "Those Ghosts are on their way!"

"Yes, ma'am! XO says we're almost outta luck, Captain! Only one more rocket left, and we're running out of ammo fast for those thirty cals! What are your orders, ma'am?"

"Have them consolidate the ammo belts for two MGs only, and set 'em up a few dozen yards from one another! That way we can spray those Ghosts twice as they make their pass, and maybe we'll get lucky!"

"Ma'am! What about the tank?"

"Hail Charlie Company, and tell Captain Hayden that if they want to jump in then, that'd be a helluva way to help out! In the meantime, get a squad of your Marines to gather up all the plasma grenades they can off the dead Covies. We might have to do this the old-fashioned way!"

"Got it, Captain!"

I knew I probably shouldn't have even been asking at a time like this, but I had to know. "Frederick?"

He turned back. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Any word on the sniper team yet? Have they reached our lines?"

"Last report from Lieutenant Hawk came in two minutes ago, Captain. They'd just made contact with our rear guard!"

Though it was miniscule, I allowed myself to breathe a sigh of relief. _At least they're with us now, however this battle ends up going. _

It wasn't long after Frederick disappeared into the chaotic mess again that I heard the faint _whir_ of an incoming Ghost. Seeing as the sound was amplified, I guessed that the second one was right on its tail, as well.

"Gunners, get ready to give 'em all you've got!"

As the speedy purple crafts zipped out of the forested area and into the clearing, I saw the flash of intense blue light that indicated a boost---and once it was complete, the aliens manning the Ghosts opened fire.

"Dammit!" I exclaimed. "Take them out!"

But it was already late. Almost in the blink of an eye, four Marines just a few yards ahead of my own position were mercilessly cut down, each screaming in surprise as the boiling lances of plasma tore through them. I could barely keep myself from shuddering.

Yet more than that, or even the sudden splattering of blood against the rocks and snow, it was the sizzling sound the plasma made as it vaporized some of their blood that made my skin crawl. I knew exactly what that felt like, to have that burning, white-hot pain suddenly engulf what seemed like your entire body, and it definitely wasn't pretty. After the agony I'd endured during my time on the orbital hospital above Heath, it took all my years of discipline, training, and combat experience to keep from screaming along with them.

_But you lived, Cooper, _I reminded myself. _And now they're dead. That's the difference. _

I mentally shook the thought out of my head. If I stopped to dwell on all the horrible scenes going on before me now, we'd lose this fight even faster than we already were. _I can't die here, I won't _let_ myself die here. The same goes for Willis, and the same goes for Bravo. We've made it too far, gone through too much, to get trampled right before the finish line. _

Just as the lead Ghost was starting to bank in my direction, Second Lieutenant Hillburn abruptly came rushing up at a full sprint. Disregarding the numerous plasma weapons being fired around her, she quickly went down on one knee---not far from where I had taken cover---and let the single SPNKR round we had left fly.

Miraculously, the shot was dead-on. The still-strafing Ghost suddenly blasted out of existence, bursting into flaming-hot chunks of torn metal that went in every way conceivable. Then, once the alien metal parts finally settled, they crackled angrily with blue-white pulses of electric energy.

"Well, it's certainly a spectacle, ma'am!" I heard a familiar voice say behind me. "But if you ask me, a bit light on tact. Far too many pyrotechnics for my taste."

A grin formed on my face for the first time in days, even as I heard the _whir_ of the second Ghost rocketing closer. "This isn't a free-seated event, Dean. Where the hell's your ticket?"

"I thought that perhaps my participation in the show would qualify as payment enough, Captain."

Even while I remained ducked behind my own cover, I watched as First Lieutenant Lewis, crouched just a foot or two beside me, quickly propped up the thirty cal in his hands on some rocks and started firing. The first dozen rounds or so went wide, but the next ones hit right on target, ripping large pieces of metal right off the enemy vehicle. Then the Ghost whizzed past in an indistinguishable blur of purple, smoking.

My best friend turned to me and, lifting his faceplate, smirked. "Yes. That ought to give the second machine gunner a good head start, don't you think?"

I almost laughed---and if the circumstances hadn't been so incredibly screwy, I really would have. "You're nuts, Lewis. Did I ever tell you that?"

"Yes, ma'am. Many times."

I snorted. "Gotta be the red hair."

After bringing down a couple of unfortunate Covies blocking our way, Lieutenant Lewis and I quickly switched our positions; we both needed to see what would happen to the final Ghost, and the only way to do that was to move down the line a little. Thankfully, just when we'd settled in, we saw the second Covenant craft burst as well.

"All right!" I said. "Now it's two down, one to go. I don't know how in the hell we're going to get rid of the tank, though."

Lewis smiled. "Not to worry, mate. All that gunfire up ahead is Charlie Company, Captain, coming in to save our collective arses. This fight's all but over now."

I started to smile back, but for some reason, I got a feeling in the pit of my stomach that something just wasn't right. And in all my years of fighting on the frontlines, I'd learned to always trust my gut instinct. "Dean, get in touch with Captain Hayden. I want confirmation from him that that Wraith's really out of the picture."

"Of course, ma'am," the first lieutenant answered promptly, with a vague hint of exaggeration in his tone.

"I'm serious, Lieutenant. If that tank's still---"

_Shoop!_

"Oh, fuck! Dean, get down!"

Lieutenant Lewis and I both threw ourselves flat on the ground, waiting to see---or rather, _feel_---where the Wraith tank's mortar blast would land. If it came down on top of us, of course, we'd never even know it.

Without consciously thinking about it, I held my breath until I felt the reverberation travel across the plain.

_That went pretty far back, _I thought to myself, still staying low. _I hope…_I choked on the thought for a second. _I hope Willis got further up by now._

I was just about to turn to my XO to ask about casualties when I heard another salvo launch. All told, the ground shook with three more huge tank blasts---with hardly any recharge time in between---before the Wraith finally went silent.

Judging by the sounds of a few scattered aliens scrambling for cover and a couple of isolated gunshots, Charlie Company had somehow managed to get rid of the tank, and were now in the process of linking up with our lines.

We'd done it.

The moment of elation, the relief that wanted to wash over me now that the fight was more or less over, however, still didn't come. _Charlie didn't stop the tank from letting a few good salvos through first. For all I know, half my company might be decimated by now. _The thought sent chills down my spine.

"How many did we lose, Lewis?"

He hesitated. "Considering the circumstances, ma'am, we did quite well. Five KIA in that last round, and about that wounded."

"Damn," was all I could think of to say. Making sure there weren't any Covenant in the immediate vicinity, I stood for the first time in minutes and simply held onto my rifle lamely. I looked down at my mud-covered boots and shook my head in disbelief. _Always more and more of my Marines' lives, vanishing just like _that_._

"Excuse me a moment, Captain," Lieutenant Lewis suddenly said, holding up a gloved hand against the side of his helmet. He was now standing as well. "I'm getting an update from Sergeant Car---_Oh_. Oh, no."

That made my already accelerated heart rate spike.

"Lewis? Dean, what is it?"

His face was ashen all of a sudden, and he didn't look at me as he replied, "Our whole rear section is…is gone. Just gone, ma'am. I'm afraid the earlier estimate wasn't…nearly high enough."

The blood drained from my face in an instant. My pain-filled leg had suddenly turned to mush like the other, and even the blood still seeping down from the reopened gash on the side of my head seemed to pause in its throbbing flow for a moment. It was hard to articulate the words through the sudden sharp stab of panic that went through my chest, but I tried anyway. "What do you mean _gone_, Lieutenant?"

"I mean _dead_, Captain. Two whole squads of my men, completely and utterly _vanquished_…"

The bile was already rising in my throat, and yet I still didn't want to believe. "Who, Lewis?"

He placed a nervous hand over his eyes for a moment. "Christ, I don't even remember everyone I sent. First squad and second, I believe?"

"No, Dean. _Who_."

A flash of astonishment crossed his features before a new expression took its place: understanding. And it wasn't the good kind, either.

I didn't need to see his almost imperceptible nod then, or hear his quiet words of, "William was back there with them, with the sniper squad I'd sent with him..." to know that what I'd feared the very most from the beginning had actually and truly happened.

_Will. _Willis, _my_ Willis, was among those killed.

Hearing my best friend receive a confirmation of my husband's death over the open COM channel was just too much. I managed to brace myself against one of the nearby boulders, trying to focus on my breathing as my chest tightened.

The battle was over, but Willis was gone.


	42. Chapter 41: Fortitude

**Chapter Forty-One: Fortitude**

The amount of pain going through my mind, my body, _my_ _soul_ at that moment was quite simply staggering.

There was a limit to what one person could endure in the span of several weeks' fighting, or five-plus years of combat, or the string of other unpleasant events that came about during one's lifetime. And of all the terrible things I'd felt and witnessed in the past, nothing came even close to the raw anguish and despair I felt right now.

My husband, the man I'd fallen madly in love with nearly eight years ago and the father of my child---_Willis_---was dead.

I couldn't quite wrap my head around the concept just yet, which probably best explained the reason why I hadn't immediately started to cry hysterically. My psychological defense mechanisms were somehow still in place for the moment, and they were preventing me from fully comprehending what was happening.

I sat there on the ground for what seemed like hours, still balled up against my knees with my eyes closed, and never looked up. It was really only a couple minutes or so before I felt a hand grip my shoulder, though.

The way I was feeling, it was a miracle I noticed the touch at all. How could I even keep _breathing_ after something like this? It always seemed like an emotional blow this intense should just kill a person on the spot. It was surprising to find that, in the end, you were somehow still alive.

Even if you didn't want to be. Not without _him_.

"Natalie…" I heard Dean say then, still squeezing my shoulder. It sounded like he was trying hard to keep his voice steady. "Natalie, God…I'm so very, very sorry. There wasn't---"

"Stop, Lewis," I managed. My voice sounded so rough and quiet I hardly even recognized it as my own. "Please, just…don't even say it." I couldn't endure anything that made any of this sound real right now. And having my best friend apologizing for what had happened was something I definitely couldn't take.

"Natalie," Lieutenant Lewis said gently after a moment. "I realize the…circumstances, but it's not safe to remain here, ma'am. Charlie Company is keeping the Covenant bastards at bay for now, but we need to move out with the rest of the company. The Covies will regroup and mount a counteroffensive if we don't, and we aren't prepared for that at the moment."

When I didn't answer or make a move to get up, he tried again. "Would like me to take temporary command of Bravo Company?"

"Yeah, Dean. Go ahead." The words felt thick and heavy in my throat, like I was using muscles I shouldn't be. "Get them out of here."

"Well, you are coming with us, naturally. I'm not just going to leave you here."

I took a deep breath, and finally felt my eyes begin to sting when I opened them. I moved my legs out from under me and sat there, wondering why the tears weren't flooding out of me yet when the pain was absolutely ripping me apart.

"I want to see his body," I croaked. "And I want to do it alone."

"Natalie, that will only make things much worse. It was a tank blast that ki…It's not going to be a very pleasant sight. Surely you realize that, don't you?"

Inhaling sharply, I managed to choke back the agonized moan that threatened to come out. Still, my voice wavered when I spoke. "Yeah, I know. But I have to…I have to do this. I have to see him for myself, one last time."

"The Covenant will be crawling all over the area again within minutes, Cooper." He sighed, knowing I wouldn't budge. "If you're truly bent on doing this, at least take someone with you. However, I highly advise against it, ma'am. You'll only end up hurting yourself even more."

Picking up my battle rifle, I suddenly stood, gathering strength from the fact that I had a purpose, a mission to perform again. Maybe that knowledge would be enough for me to keep it together until I found him.

"You can't go, Lewis. You have to lead Bravo out of here. Send Petty Officer Reynolds after me instead."

Just as I turned to leave, I felt Lewis grab hold of my arm to stop me. I could feel his eyes on me, but I knew I couldn't meet his gaze without breaking. I looked at the ground instead.

"Be careful, Captain. All right? Remember to follow us out when…when you're done. I am sorry about William, Natalie."

I felt the pain suddenly engulf my throat, and my voice faltered. "Not as much as me."

* * *

Doc Reynolds must not have been far from our position when the battle was over, because it didn't take him long to catch up with me as I made my way to the rear. He appeared subdued as he approached, and at first simply fell into step beside me without a word. It was only after we'd been walking for a while, through the carnage and debris left behind by the fierce fighting, that he finally opened his mouth to speak.

"Captain?" The medic was hesitant, no doubt trying to gauge my reaction to the word before deciding to continue. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I just heard about…about your husband, and I'm really---"

"Don't." I knew I was balancing precariously on the edge, and even one small push would be all it took for the waterworks to take over. I couldn't even think his name.

Convinced I wasn't going to say anything more, Reynolds didn't attempt speech again for a while. He just followed quietly along, not even bothering to ask what the point of all this was. I think he understood it was just something I had to do, something I myself wasn't even in control of. Though I tried to still be cautious and remain vigilant against any Covenant attacks---despite my intense grief, I didn't, after all, want my son to lose _both_ his parents---we moved at a rather clipped pace.

_Gabriel_.

Impossible though it was, I tried to keep my son out of my mind for the time being, as well. If I stopped to think about how my little boy would take the news that his father was gone…I just couldn't bear it.

Eventually, after marching several meters through the corpse-strewn and blood-drenched field, Reynolds broke the silence again. We were getting close to the rear now.

He pointed to the side of my head, which had finally stopped bleeding, and said, "Your uh, your wound's opened back up some, ma'am. You should let me take a look at that."

"Later."

"Can I ask why you sent for me?"

I almost snorted. "Why else? You're a medic. And my friend."

The reluctance was clear in his voice when he spoke. "So…you think he's still alive, ma'am?"

"No. But I'm not discounting anything, either."

Reynolds sighed, attempting to be patient with me, as Lewis had done earlier. "Captain…it was a confirmed KIA, ma'am. Sergeant Carmichael called it in. He saw your husband's body with his own eyes. Said the El-Tee was---"

"I heard it, Doc. I heard _everything_. It was broadcast over the COM."

He swallowed. "And you're sure you want to…see it?"

"Him, Reynolds. I want to see _him_."

We finally came across the right patch of terrain then: the ground here had been utterly devastated, just as the incoming reports had indicated. Black craters dotted a large expanse of the landscape, and everything from rocks to snow to dirt and vegetation had clearly been displaced. Blood---predominantly of the dark red variety---also saturated the field.

"My God…" Petty Officer Reynolds whispered. "They were absolutely _slaughtered_ back here."

The scorched corpses of Covenant and humans alike were strewn haphazardly across this portion of the plain. Those concentrated around the direct blast areas were in chunks, with pieces of twisted metal and pulverized rock around them. At first glance, it appeared that about a dozen of the mangled bodies were Marines.

I tried to keep my emotions at bay, but it was hard. The acrid stench in the air was almost as horrible as that of the Flood-infested Covie camp. Everything smelled of vaporized ozone, scorched earth, and fresh blood. And above all, it smelled of death.

A harsh lump formed in my throat as my eyes began to water, and not just for my husband. Nothing could have survived this. The whole area was completely ravaged.

Without a word, before I lost my nerve, I set about the morbid task of checking the scattered Marine bodies. When I glanced back at Reynolds, he seemed to still be frozen in a state of horror. So, I went out into the killing field without him.

If possible, it all looked even worse up close. I nearly puked my guts several times, and I suddenly wished I'd listened to Lewis. Would I really want to see my husband again, if _this_ was the state I found him in?

In the end, I didn't have a choice. Before I could answer the question to myself, I spotted him.

His body was lying on the fringes of the bombed out area, one of the last ones I checked. He was covered in blood and assorted debris, and there were scorch marks on his armor as well.

Now it was finally real. Utterly and undeniably true. Still, all I could really feel at the moment was the pain in my chest, rapidly tearing and searing a hole straight into my very being.

I slowly knelt down beside him and found myself just staring. It was all so surreal that my brain simply blocked out everything else around me, and focused only on him.

_No._ No_. Not this, _I thought frantically. _Not this kind of end for you, Will. _I choked back a harsh sob; the torrent of emotion was coming. _We have a son you need to help me raise, and we're supposed to have another baby soon, once the war's over. Please, God, _please_ tell me this didn't happen to__…_

"He...he's not dead."

The words, uttered in complete shock, made me freeze. I glanced up from my trance-like state and saw Doc Reynolds crouched on the other side of my husband's body, his fingers pressing against Willis's carotid artery.

"Huh?"

"I said your husband's alive, Captain." Reynolds's voice took on a more upbeat tone. "The El-Tee's got a strong pulse, ma'am, and almost none of that blood on him is his---no wounds big enough. Looks like he passed out from the all the successive explosions. But he's definitely not dead."

"Doc, if this is your idea of a sick joke…"

"No joke, Captain. Check it out for yourself. He's even coming around."

Sure enough, the medic was right. I watched in disbelief as Willis's previously still form began to shift a little. Eventually, he opened his eyes a crack.

Though he seemed more than a little disoriented at first, Willis focused his hazel eyes on me almost immediately. "N-Natalie?"

My own eyes stung fiercer than ever as I smiled wide at him. I took his hand in both of mine and gave it a squeeze; the intense pain I'd felt for all this time was slowly starting to ebb away. "Yeah, honey. It's me."

"Welcome back, sir," Reynolds added.

Willis turned to the medic, looking confused, but he didn't let go of my hand. "What…what happened, Doc?"

"Mortar rounds from a Wraith tank, Lieutenant. Knocked you out." The petty officer stood. "I don't want to rush you, sir, but the company's in the process of pulling out right now. We should hurry and get out of here. It won't be good if we get left behind."

Reynolds walked off then, stopping to wait for us only once he was several yards away. I got the sense that the medic had probably wanted to give my husband and I a moment alone.

So I took it.

As soon as Willis sat up, I leaned in and kissed him hard. Though surprised by the abrupt motion, Willis caught on fast and kissed me back. We were both grinning by the time we broke apart.

"Damn, Coop. What was that for?"

"Because. They told me you were dead."

I knew I couldn't maintain my façade forever. The tears came so fast and hit me with such force that I couldn't stop them this time. I didn't even realize how hard I was sobbing until I felt Willis envelope me in his arms.

"It's ok, honey. It's ok. I'm still here, Cooper."

It was hard to say how long we sat there while I let it all out. So much had happened already, since that day I'd first arrived on Earth nearly a month ago. Rescuing the pilots, one of whom turned out to be Willis; fighting and surviving the Flood; watching Corporals Simmons and Garian, Lieutenant Commander Glorio, and so many others become additional victims of the war. And then, to hear that final panicked voice through the COM channel, telling my XO that my husband had been killed…That had been the very last straw for me, the ultimate blow.

"Christ, Will," I said to him once my tears had stopped, still hugging him tight. "I swear, if you _ever_ make me go through that again, I'll put a bullet in your head myself."

He chuckled. "Well, at least you're not threatening to emasculate me. I consider that a plus."

"No," I said with a growing smirk. "That would punish _me_, too. Besides, it wouldn't be fair to any future children I'd want to bear you."

"So that's why you keep me around, huh? My reproductive abilities, and my…recreational ones."

"Yeah. Mostly." I grinned wide and kissed him again.

Although I tried to maintain the light tone we'd built up, I just couldn't manage to keep the emotion out of my voice this time. My expression suddenly grew somber again, and I had to take a deep breath before I said, "You really, _really_ scared me this time, Will. I honestly thought you were…" My voice cracked, and I couldn't continue.

"I know, Natalie. I'm sorry." He wrapped his arms tighter around me. "But I'm still here, honey. We both are. That's what matters."

Burying my face in his chest, I felt the tears that had come earlier start to sting my eyes once more. "I love you, Will."

"I love you, too." He kissed me, then added, "Don't worry, Cooper. I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

Despite Willis's assurances that dying wasn't an option, I didn't leave him out of my sight again the whole time we marched to the 102nd Battalion's lines, under the escort of Charlie Company. Earlier, after being greeted by Lieutenant Lewis's astonished face upon our return to Bravo, I'd immediately assumed command again, and then proceeded to lead my company out of the woods we'd fought so hard to get through.

Once we'd passed the forest area, it had been surprisingly easy to reach Battalion's perimeter. It was set up wide around a tiny mountain village, and even included some of the surrounding plains. Captain Oliver Hayden, commanding Charlie Company, acted as our liaison for getting through, so things were squared away in no time.

"Thanks for seeing us out the backdoor, Hayden," I said to the other captain once we were inside the lines. "If it hadn't been for you, we'd've probably all been cooked by that Wraith in the end."

"No problem, Cooper. Gotta score some kiss-ass points with Major Phillips, huh?"

I snorted. "You always get bragging rights, Oliver."

He shrugged, still looking pleased with himself. "Chalk it up to being five years older than you, Cooper. I've had a lot more time on the job."

"Yeah, yeah. Go gloat somewhere else."

Hayden grinned. "Can't. Major wants to have a little chitchat in twenty minutes. Said he wanted to see you beforehand, though, so you'd better get going."

"Where to?"

"Big ol' farmhouse, built out of stone just off the bank of the stream that cuts through here. That's Battalion HQ."

"All right. I'll get my XO to look after Bravo for a bit, then. But don't forget to send my personal thanks to the rest of your company, too, Hayden. All my love's not just for you."

A feigned look of hurt crossed his features. "Damn, Natalie. You're not the first woman to say that to me, you know."

I laughed. "Keep at it, Hayden. I'm sure your wife married you for something."

Willis was already waiting for me when I walked away. He was chewing on an energy bar, taken from Battalion's stores, as he leaned against a nearby tree. "Well, Coop? What did Captain Hayden say? We getting evaced soon or what?"

"I don't know yet, Will. I've gotta go talk to Major Phillips right now, and apparently there's going to be a battalion briefing after that." I sighed and rubbed my eyes out of pure exhaustion. Between the battle we'd fought in the snowfield and the hell I'd gone through thinking Willis had been killed, I felt both physically and emotionally drained. "I should know something more then."

My husband nodded. "Just try to take it easy, ok? You look really tired."

"I'm practically dead on my feet." Like the rest of Bravo, I hadn't slept in close to three days, and I couldn't even remember the last time I'd eaten. "You got another one of those energy bars, by any chance?"

"Yeah, sure." Willis dug in his pocket and tossed one to me. "It's not exactly an MRE, but at this point if it's food, I'll take it."

"With you on that one. Thanks."

"Any orders you want me to relay to Lewis while you're gone?"

I shook my head. "Just tell him to keep an eye on Bravo for me, and make sure everyone gets a quick rest. I'll handle resupply when I get back."

* * *

Walking through my battalion's perimeter, I was feeling more serene than I had in weeks, despite the huge toll the recent battle had taken on my company's numbers. Maybe it had something to do with being safely within a large perimeter, currently not under attack by either freak creatures or aliens. Or maybe it was simply because after believing for an agonizing time that my husband was dead, I'd finally found him alive, unconscious but otherwise relatively unhurt. More probably, it was a combination of both.

When I finally reached the stone farmhouse that acted as our makeshift battalion headquarters, I quickly stepped inside and came to attention.

"Sir! Captain Cooper reporting as ordered, sir."

"At ease, Captain," Phillips said. He let out a sigh and waited for me to relax my posture before continuing. "It's good to have you and Bravo back, Cooper. I'll expect to hear your debriefing on Operation Everest at the company commanders' meeting. Now, I understand Bravo Company went through a lot to get here, and that as a result, you're slightly understrength."

"Yes, sir," I answered solemnly. Between the fighting on the ridge and the battle to linkup with Battalion, my company had already lost nearly two squads of men. "It's been…a pretty intense few weeks, Major." _To say the least._

Phillips nodded. "Same for us, Cooper. While things may look calm around here now, it's not always like this. We've had the Flood on all sides, trying to break through our lines daily. And those Covies you fought near the forest have been a constant thorn in our side, as well."

"I understand, sir."

"It's been a brutal struggle to hold onto this perimeter we've got." The major paused, choosing his next words carefully. "You realize, Captain, that since Foxtrot Base was obliterated, we have no way of getting reinforcements? That we have nothing to return to?"

"Yes, Major."

"So that, as things are now, even if we _were_ able to keep the Flood and the Covenant at bay indefinitely, our chances of survival are about nil?"

I swallowed hard at his bluntness. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Then you understand the necessity of holding these lines until I can arrange for an alternate way out." He ran a quick hand through his hair, then looked at me once more. "You'll hear this again at the briefing, but I might as well tell you now. For the past few days, I've been trying to hail all the local bases, across the continent, to see if anyone can extract our battalion. No luck so far, but if we can just hang on for a while longer, I'm hoping to find something."

_Damn, _I thought, my earlier feeling of serenity fading fast. _This doesn't sound good. Does that mean we've fought this hard and escaped so many hairy situations, just to end up getting killed here? _

"Do we have any estimates on enemy numbers, sir?"

"Well, between your count and Charlie Company's, I think we can figure the Covies out at the briefing. The Flood's a little easier to say, since they're the ones who've been harassing us the most lately." He suddenly frowned. "Although, there is something about those crazed zombie things I just can't wrap my head around."

"Sir?"

Major Phillips shook his head. "Twisted though those Flood monsters are, I've gotten a number of reports on this from the Marines. All those creatures out there are overwhelmingly humanoid---not Covies. By all accounts, they seem to be…former Helljumpers."

My insides turned to absolute ice then, and I hardly even registered the major's comment on my sudden change in complection. I knew the moment he mentioned "Helljumpers" what those Flood forms truly were.

They were what remained of Captain Schaeffer and the 21st ODST Battalion. The same ODSTs we'd left behind.


	43. Chapter 42: Perseverance

**Chapter Forty-Two: Perseverance**

**0435 Hours, October 26, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Midnight Swim," Planet Earth. Day Seventy-Seven of the Invasion of Earth**

The first day that Bravo Company had spent within the confines of our battalion perimeter had been quiet, providing us all with a much-needed rest with which to regroup and recuperate. Along with the rest of my company, I was finally able to get several hours of uninterrupted sleep, eat some MREs, and take a short breather.

Once Major Benjamin Phillips had given the order, getting the company resupplied as far as food, ammo, and medical gear had been quick and easy. While Battalion didn't have an unlimited stockpile of the items necessary for survival, I was surprised to find that a fair amount of the stores were actually still full. I even managed to get a new helmet out of the deal, something I'd missed very much for the better part of a week; being without it had made the vital communication between my company and I nearly impossible.

Things had changed fast, though, just like Major Phillips said they would. By the second day, my company and I were back on the lines, re-equipped and refreshed, and ready for any bizarre onslaught that might attack our designated side of the perimeter. A couple weeks later, with Flood attacking on one side and a Covenant counteroffensive coming at us from another, we'd already been in the thick of things for days, with each company in the 102nd Battalion fighting hard to maintain their section of the lines.

We knew we couldn't afford to let anything through. And yet, by now, most of our supplies were depleted---and there was still no sign of getting any outside help. We were running out of time, fast.

"Captain, look out!"

Thankfully, I managed to duck just as Second Lieutenant Laura Hillburn bellowed the warning; a handful of needler rounds bounced and shattered off the edge of the stone patio table I'd been using as cover only an instant earlier. Scrambling for the next closest object---a short but thick tree stump---I cradled my battle rifle in my hands as I stayed low, listening to the plasma and needle fire ricocheting off the rocks around me.

"Hillburn, lay some suppressive fire on those bastards! I need to get to the other side of this house so I can flank 'em!" I cried into the COM channel.

"Yes, ma'am! Working on it!"

As soon as I heard the second lieutenant's thirty cal open up, I raised my head just above the tree stump to see how the Covenant forces headed our way were reacting. _If I can just get a few seconds' worth of an opening, I can make a run for one of the other houses_, I thought to myself. _Then I can get the rest of third platoon to come in here and help take out these aliens._

Much to my surprise, I didn't yet see an opening at first. The Covies were still swooping down on us hard from the forested area, and so far, they had the advantage. However slight the difference in elevation, the aliens were the ones with the higher ground and mobility this time, and _we _were the ones on the defensive.

While the Covenant were hesitant to put a damper on their sudden momentum, they were finally forced to stop their advance. The sheer volume of bullets coming from Hillburn's machine gun was ripping the lead Covies to shreds, and that made their commanders think twice about charging ahead.

It wasn't long before I got my chance.

Pushing myself up off the cold ground, I was on my feet and sprinting in seconds---with my broken leg all but healed now, it felt stronger than ever. I ran hard and fast through a patch of snow-dotted field, plasma rounds trailing me all the way, and then bounded up and over a tall, half-broken wooden fence. By now, most of the surroundings had been pockmarked by bullets, scorched by plasma rounds, or shredded to splinters and chunks by needler fire.

Making my way towards the nearby creek that ran between the properties, an offshoot of the large stream that ran behind Battalion HQ, I realized I'd stopped hearing the constant rattle of Hillburn's machine gun. The weapon had gone absolutely silent.

_Oh, no_, I thought, dread slowly snaking its way across my body. _If they've taken out her MG position…_

"Captain! I'm outta ammo!" I heard her shout over the COM. "I'll get my squad to cover you as best we can, ma'am, but it's not going to be as effective!"

_Dammit._ "Understood, Lieutenant. Just hold them off for another few seconds!"

"Ma'am, I don't know if I ca---"

"Get it done, Hillburn! Unless you want to be dead, find a fucking way!"

I was halfway to the other house when the ground suddenly rocked beneath my combat boots. Holding onto my helmet in one hand and my rifle in the other as I ran, I stumbled into the icy creek, inhaling sharply as the cold water splashed up my uniform. An impromptu shower definitely hadn't been on the agenda for today.

Keeping my head low through the barrage of enemy fire directed my way, I stopped in the middle of the creek just long enough to let off a few bursts from my BR55, then continued going for the opposite side of the bank. Only a couple more meters to go, and I'd be safely behind cover again---with friendlies.

"Dean!" I yelled into the COM. "Keep those Covies pinned down! I'm coming up on your six!"

A strange, greenish glow lit up the area then, and it wasn't from my night vision. I didn't even have time to glance up to see what it was before a wave of heat suddenly washed over me, followed by a tremendous explosion that reverberated through the creek bed.

I was knocked off my feet in an instant, water and steam bursting high into the air around me only to drench my uniform when it came back down. Momentarily disoriented, both from the sudden blast and the icy shock of the water, I almost didn't hear my second-in-command's panicked reply.

"We've got a hefty pair of Hunters doing a number on our position, Captain! One has got the creek in its sights!"

As I struggled to emerge from the water, teeth chattering despite my uniform system's attempts to purge itself of the cold liquid, I was about to reply with something along the lines of, "Yeah, I noticed!" when I looked up.

"Oh, _shit!_"

Barreling down the creek fast despite its size, the huge Brute I'd just spotted slammed into me hard before I could move out of its path, forcing me back into the water with a drowned out gasp of surprise. Though my sealed helmet would keep the water out for at least the first several seconds, I knew if I remained submerged for very long after that, I'd end up drowning inside of it.

That wasn't the part I had to worry about, though. While pain jolted through my body from the Brute's unexpected tackle, one of its large, muscled arms shot in after me. The beast grabbed hold of my neck in seconds, and, keeping me down in the water as I fought to get air, used its other arm to pull a spiker gun from its hip.

_No, no, no. I don't want to die here. I don't want to die! Come on, Cooper, think of something! _

But what was there to use? My gun was probably lying somewhere at the bottom of the creek by now, and I was busy flailing my arms in a desperate attempt to get the Brute to let go of my neck. By the time my hands found one of my combat knives, it was already too late.

Growling, the Brute pulled me up out of the water and shoved the barrel of its weapon against the side of my neck. At the same time, I closed my eyes hard out of reflex, knowing this would be my end.

Except it wasn't.

Even in my dazed, oxygen-deprived state, I was able to hear the quick succession of muffled thuds impacting thick hide---a full clip of submachine gun rounds were hitting the beast's back. Dark purple blood and brown flesh burst from the Brute's back, and the creature growled again in pain and rage.

Instead of immediately crushing my neck as I thought it would, the Brute abruptly threw me aside, turning on the source of the gunfire. Though weakened, I had no doubt that the Brute could still easily kill the Marine who'd saved me.

I landed hard on the snow-covered ground of the opposite bank, wanting to pop the seal on my helmet to get the water out of it, but still in too much of a shock to do so. In the meantime, I could hear a scuffle going on between the Marine and the Brute, and I hoped the Marine would pull through. Eventually, the Brute roared a third time, but the sound was preceded by another long burst of gunfire. When I heard a loud _thump_ shake the ground, I knew the Marine had won.

"Natalie!"

Once the Brute was finally dead, Willis began pulling at my helmet frantically, trying to get it off before I breathed all of the water into my lungs. The second the thing was off, I rolled over onto my stomach and went into a coughing fit.

"Coop? Cooper! Are you ok?"

I didn't answer for a while. I was too busy trying to breathe.

"Jesus, Will. You could've…been a little more timely," I finally managed to rasp out. "I came this close to…being reincarnated into a fish."

My husband lifted his faceplate and smirked at me. "A 'Thanks' would be just fine, Coop. How are you feeling?"

Wincing as I touched a hand to my side, I replied, "Like I just got hit by a fucking freight train. That later derailed into a river."

"Need me to get Doc?"

"No, no. I think I can manage." I sat up and shivered, noticing for the first time that we'd somehow made it behind the cover of one of the surrounding homes. That would explain why there weren't any projectiles or explosions coming down on top of us at the moment.

Willis frowned in the moonlight. "You're dripping wet, Cooper. You're going to get hypothermia like that."

"I don't have a choice. We can't let the Covenant break through our lines, Will. We have to hold this place for as long as we can. Otherwise, we're all dead."

When I was standing again, freezing and shaky but otherwise ok, Willis handed me my soaked battle rifle.

"Here, then. Can't fight without this."

Taking the rifle into my hands once more, I was about to reply when another huge, glowing green orb sped past our position. Willis jumped on top of me in an instant, keeping my unprotected head covered as the large fuel rod cannon round bombed into the field just yards away.

My ears were still ringing when my husband hauled me back to my feet.

"Natalie, you ok?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks," I answered as I quickly pulled my helmet back on. Pausing a second to let the sudden pain in my side pass, I added, "Now come on. We've gotta move before these bastards blow a hole through our line."

We came up on Lieutenant Lewis and third platoon shortly, firing off a few sporadic rounds at the still-advancing Covenant. If there was one thing we had to be sure to get rid of right now, though, it was those Hunters.

"Lewis!" I yelled into the COM channel as Willis and I moved to some nearby cover. "You got anymore MG ammo left?"

"Negative, ma'am!" came the hasty reply. "We're nearly out of everything, Captain. The best I can pool together at the moment are perhaps a few plasma grenades. That is all!"

"Damn."

Coming up from behind the set of rocks Willis and I were currently using as cover, I quickly targeted the group of Grunts and Jackals who'd been harassing us the whole time. I pulled the trigger of my battle rifle several times, dispatching a number of the smaller aliens, but the group of command Brutes beyond were still hiding behind impenetrable blue-white shields. As I ducked back down to reload, I saw Willis pop up beside me instead, and he began firing off his own SMG at them.

"Ok, Lewis, here's what I want you to do," I said as I tossed out my old clip and shoved in a new one. "Lieutenant Hillburn's been getting pounded on by the Covies, so we need to have those Hunters gone _now_ to free up her squad. Get whatever fire you can down on those Hunters, and have them focus in entirely on you. Lieutenant Hawk'll snipe them from here as soon as they're turned. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Hawk?"

"Got it, Captain."

"All right, then. Let's do this."

Emerging from cover once again, I saw that the Brutes had now moved further downslope. Willis had managed to take out most of the other Covenant in the immediate vicinity, but the Hunters that stood on either side of the Brutes were already amassing energy for their next shots. We'd have to do this fast.

"Oh, bloody hell!" my XO exclaimed frantically over the COM. "Captain, they've got a fix on us!"

"_Now_, Willis! Get a shot on 'em now!" I shouted.

With his submachine gun already slung across his back, my husband rapidly sighted down the long barrel of his sniper rifle and pulled the trigger. The Hunter closest to us, turned just enough to the right to allow Willis a shot at its exposed back, rocked forward the second the high-velocity bullet struck its spine. Even in the dark, the spray of bright blood was hard to miss; the alien liquid splattered everywhere, conspicuously painting a number of scattered trees beside it a harsh orange color. The creature roared, but didn't have enough agility to avoid the second round Willis fired at it a split-second later.

Dropping hard and face-first into a pool of its own blood, the first Hunter finally went down.

I aimed at the second Hunter myself and quickly pulled the trigger of my BR55, wanting to provide Willis with immediate covering fire as he moved to another position. Especially after the scare he'd given me two weeks before, I'd much rather have the huge cannon-wielding alien get me in its sights than Willis. I knew exactly what it felt like now, to think my husband was really and truly dead, and I never wanted to experience anything like it ever again.

"Ma'am! That bloody beast is going to obliterate our whole fucking position if---!"

My best friend never got to finish his last agitated exclamation---or, at least, I didn't get to hear what was left of it. The Hunter had just turned my way, and it had already accumulated so much plasma energy I knew it would fire at me within seconds.

Diving behind the more solid structure of the house itself, I was barely able to get out of the way in time. A massive round from the Hunter's fuel rod cannon landed straight onto my former cover, instantly converting the wide area around it into scorched ground and partially melted rock.

Though I'd escaped the direct hit, I still ended up way too close to the blast. The force of the explosion slammed me hard into the outside of the house---a wall of solid stone and wood---and left me lying on the ground in a daze.

Besides the spotted vision and the deafening ringing that enveloped my ears, the last thing I remembered was the feeling of hot blood oozing fast, pouring out of my nose and pooling in my mouth. Then, suddenly, almost before I even registered the sensations, my entire world went black.

* * *

The first person I saw when I finally woke up again wasn't who I thought it was going to be.

"H-Hayden?" I blinked against the harsh light filtering into my half-opened eyes, struggling for a few seconds to maintain consciousness. The pain in my side was overwhelming.

"Yup, that'd be me." Captain Oliver Hayden leaned over so I could see him more clearly, and then offered me a small smile. "Nice of you to come back after your two-hour nap, Cooper. We were worried there for a while."

Panic struck me as the first real, coherent thought entered my mind. "Where's…where's Willis?"

"Your flyboy hubby's fine, Natalie. Unlike your lazy ass, he's still out there fighting." Hayden folded his arms across his chest, his expression gradually morphing into a frown. "We haven't been able to shake those damn Covies just yet, but we're working on it."

I closed my eyes and rubbed my aching temple as I slowly sat up. My ears still felt like someone was banging pots and pans incessantly inside them. "Last thing I remember is some Hunter pointing the business end of a cannon at me. That what happened?"

"Yeah. Although, you might be interested in finding out how you ended up _here_."

Raising an eyebrow at him, I asked, "Does it have something to do with my clothes being mysteriously dry all of a sudden?"

The other captain snorted. "You can thank Doc Reynolds for that. Soon as you passed out, he brought you back here, to Battalion HQ. Said you were absolutely soaked in freezing water and getting hypothermic fast. Had to strip you down and get your clothes dried off before you went into heart failure." He grinned. "Don't worry. We had Lieutenant Hawk do the honors alone. I'm sure he would've kicked anyone else's ass, even if it was well-intentioned. At least, that's what I'd do if it were my wife."

"So what's our situation then? And…what are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "Lines got quiet for a bit, and Major Phillips said he finally got some news. We just had a quick briefing."

I was starting to get tired of having to fish for answers. "Well? You going to fill me in or not?"

"The huge UNSC base in Munich, Germany finally hailed us back. The commander there said if we can get to this city called Salzburg, they'd come evac us from there within the week."

"Within the week?" I snorted, trying to ignore the pain the motion sent through my bruised ribs. "Think we can bust through the Covies' and Flood's lines in that time? Or even last that long?"

"I sure hope so. I'd catch hell from my wife if I came back dead. My kids probably wouldn't even speak to me anymore."

"I'm serious, Oliver."

He sighed, finally sobering. "I don't know how any of this'll turn out, Cooper. But I can tell you one thing: I'm sure as hell glad we got any kind of response at all."


	44. Chapter 43: Old Friends, New Faces

Author's Note: This is the second-to-last chappy guys, so I hope you dig it. ;-) And please leave some feedback! I'd love to know what you think.

Oh, and don't forget that the next chapter will be the finale!

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* * *

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**Chapter Forty-Three: Old Friends, New Faces**

**1033 Hours, October 27, 2552. Near the Town of Lienz, Austria. "The Monkey in the Middle," Planet Earth. Day Seventy-Eight of the Invasion of Earth**

By the time the sun came up a day later, we could see the carnage the latest overnight attack had left behind. After so many days of fighting, the bodies---Flood, Covenant, and human alike---were strewn everywhere, each lying near patches of multicolored blood on the once-white snow. The grasses, creeks, buildings and other structures around the outside of the 102nd Battalion's perimeter were all in various states of destruction; some were blackened, some blown halfway apart, some reduced to nothing but splinters of wood or fine grains of rock.

In the midst of all this utter devastation, I gripped my battle rifle tight and took a deep breath to steady my breathing, wincing as my sore ribs immediately reacted. I'd already gone through my company's lines and spoken to the men, giving them words of encouragement to keep them motivated in the face of so much horror---and, above all, making sure they knew how much was riding on our battalion-wide assault. Now all there was left to do was wait.

Major Phillips had declared earlier that this was going to be it today, our one last gamble to try to finally push free of our enemies' lines. Only then could we focus on getting to our extraction point in Salzburg---over two hundred kilometers away. It was going to take a lot to get past the Covies and former Helljumper Flood forms here, let alone make such a long march after. But it was our only shot.

"Company commanders, stand by," Phillips suddenly said over the COM channel. "Make sure your platoons are ready to go. Remember, this is do or die, Marines, so be sure to give it all you've got." I heard him take in a breath. "We _have_ to break through."

Shutting my eyes for a brief moment, I quickly thought of my son Gabe, then opened a channel to Bravo Company.

I barely had time to get status reports from my platoon leaders before all hell broke loose.

The Flood were the first to hit our battalion's lines this time. We all heard the high-pitched noise before the freak creatures appeared on the field before us, and so the machine guns had already opened up on them by the time they were in range. Still, that didn't stop the crazed monsters from firing back---or from continuing their attack.

Bullets filled the air in seconds, ripping apart some of the less sturdy cover and slowly chipping away at everything else. Even after combating these former human Flood forms for a while now, it was still unnerving as hell to realize that the incoming fire was coming from UNSC weaponry.

"Charlie Company!" I heard Major Philllips shout through the battalion COM channel. "You're on, now! Go!"

Our methodical assault began with Charlie Company spearheading the way through the weakest part of the joint Covenant-Flood lines. Because the two enemies fought each other most along an open plain, right beside the forested area the Covies occupied, that was the corridor our battalion was going to try to get through.

The rest of the 102nd Battalion didn't stand idle while Charlie Company forged ahead, however. Alpha and Delta Companies immediately began firing back at the Flood themselves, tearing down wave after wave of the horror-vid creatures as Captain Oliver Hayden led his company into the center of the embroiled battle.

"Bravo Company!" I yelled over the company-wide channel. "Let's give Charlie some covering fire, Marines! Take those parasites out!"

Since my own company was the one directly behind Charlie---and so would soon be following the path they were to break through our enemies' lines---I ordered everyone to begin moving the moment Charlie disappeared into the fray.

However chaotic things had looked from amongst Battalion's lines, though, they were much worse once my company and I moved into the open field ourselves. Here, a comparatively small group of Marines were combating grotesque versions of our former ODST allies, dodging bullets and frag grenades and rockets and God knew whatever else, all while nervously awaiting the arrival of our common enemy: the Covenant.

Firing off dozens of three-round bursts from my BR55, I managed to be among the first to reach a slushy ditch that ran parallel to the open plain before us, where Charlie Company was currently fighting. Even as I continually heard bullets whizzing past, far-off explosions reverberating across the snowy ground, and the near-constant rattle of machine guns, my ears also caught the occasional distinct _cracks_ of sniper rifles. Our rear elements were faithfully providing us with covering fire.

"Come on, Marines! Move it up, move it up! _Move it right now!_" I cried as a swarm of Flood forms rapidly ambled and leapt towards my position.

Swinging my battle rifle up to clear the edge of the ditch I was using as cover, I pulled the trigger of my BR55 numerous times, pumping over twenty rounds of lead into the Flood form closest to me. It warbled in that ethereal way each time it was hit by a single burst, moaning grotesquely as first its arm, then part of its torso---and finally the side of its head---was ripped off the rest of its badly deformed body.

This close, I could see the tattered remains of the creatures' uniforms, and what used to be normal human faces, now horribly maimed and decayed. I could even see the rank insignias of some, though after having been taken over by the parasite so many weeks ago, the Flood beings were utterly filthy and crazed.

Like the other---mostly Covie---Flood forms we'd encountered before, they acted worse than a pack of rabid animals, continuing to push ahead aggressively no matter how many we somehow managed to cut down. Though it was always a terrifyingly sick feeling to fight the Flood, it was even worse this time. Because now, we knew we'd once fought beside these very beings---back when they used to be people.

Good, courageous people, like Captain Henry Schaeffer.

_And this is all my fault, _I thought in sudden distress. _If we hadn't left the very Helljumpers who'd risked their necks to save us in Cote D'Azur to die, maybe we could have fought off the Covenant together. Maybe some of them would have survived. _I shut my eyes tight and took in an unsteady breath, forcing myself to keep my emotions in check. _I never should've listened to Schaeffer when he told me to abandon them in favor of the mission. It wasn't worth this._

But it was too late for that kind of thinking now.

Once I'd ducked behind cover once again to reload, First Lieutenant Casey Frederick had already dropped down into the ditch beside me, along with the rest of his second platoon.

"This is a fucking living nightmare, Captain!" the young officer screamed through our COM channel. I saw him rise up from his crouched position for a moment, fire off several quick bursts from his submachine gun, then dive back against the hard-packed dirt walls of the ditch. "They used to be us, ma'am. You can see it in their…their faces. But then you see their eyes---so damn blank---or see them flapping their arms as they're coming at you, and you know that they're not. Not anymore. It's…it's…"

"I know, Lieutenant," I said, coming out from cover just in time to dispatch a Flood that was trying to pounce in amongst us. Its yellow Flood juice instantly redecorated the snow and dirt around me, and spattered onto my weapon.

Turning back to Lieutenant Frederick, who still seemed slightly distracted by the horrific scene in front of him, I roughly grabbed hold of his shoulder. Shaking him out of his momentary daze, I said, "I need you to stay focused, El-Tee, all right? I know how bad it is, and I know how much these things can give you the creeps. But if we want to get out of here alive---_and not become one of them_---it's going to take all of us to beat these bastards back. Do you understand me, Frederick?"

"Y-yes, ma'am."

I let go of him. "Good. Then keep your head in the game and do your job, Marine."

"Bravo Company!" Major Phillips's voice suddenly boomed in my helmet. "You're up next, Marines! Keep moving forward, behind Charlie!"

"You heard the major, Marines!" I called over the company-wide channel. "Second platoon, let's go! Dean, I want you and third platoon to follow! Zack!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"You're bringing up the rear with first platoon! Let's get the hell out of here, Marines!"

Holding onto my rifle with my left hand, I gripped the icy edges of the ditch and scrambled over the top, going out into the field ahead of second platoon. Attempting to evade the sudden hail of bullets coming my way, I ran in a crisscross pattern across the flat expanse of the snow-dotted field before finally jumping behind the nearest cover. It was a collection of large, jagged boulders---perfect for deflecting the standard UNSC rounds used by the Flood forms.

As I pressed my back hard against the low rock formation, lungs burning from such a long sprint in the frigid weather, I paused a second to let the pain in my side pass. I could hear the bullets of various kinds of human weaponry hitting the other side of the boulders all the while, sending small chunks of rock flying everywhere and keeping me pinned down.

"Frederick! Where the fuck is second platoon!" I shouted through the COM, wedging my body between the snow-dusted ground and the dark rocks to keep from getting hit. "I need you here five minutes ago, Lieutenant!"

"Ma'am! We're coming up on your six now!" Lieutenant Frederick answered. "Just gotta get through some of these undead bastards first!"

"Captain!" First Lieutenant Zackary Samson exclaimed then, momentarily interrupting my transmission to Frederick. "There're Covies starting to come in from the northwest, ma'am! They're pouring out of the forest, and it looks like Charlie Company's getting their asses torn apart!"

_Fuck_.

I stood from behind my cover in an instant to move in Charlie Company's direction, only to find three warbling Flood forms coming right for me. Throwing myself onto the hard snow, I barely managed to escape having my armor get riddled with bullet holes from an entire clip of MA5C ammo; if I hadn't immediately gone into a prone position, I would've been twelve kinds of dead by now. Instead, lying on my stomach, I was able to aim my rifle up at the zombie things barreling down on me and empty my own clip into their respective abdomens, one by one.

The first Flood form bucked back instantly from the impact of the bullets, wildly flailing its limbs and letting out a horrifying groan as chunks of its flesh fell from its gut. The second beast, with its head and neck already hanging loosely off the top of its torso, wailed as well once my BR55 rounds hit it. Yellow fluid rapidly burst from its ragged-looking body, spraying its two companions with its Flood juice as it toppled over to the side, dead.

It was the third, however, that just wouldn't let itself go into the next world.

My clip was spent after I'd fired only two bursts at the monster, and it took full advantage of the fact that I'd finally run out of bullets. Bounding the remaining few meters that separated us, the Flood creature leapt high into the air and spread its limbs, ready to give me the coup de grace with its magnum once it landed again.

But Atalom 'Kuatee and Sergeant Dandh were faster.

Loosing a hail of submachine gun rounds at the thing, Dandh managed to shred the beast's head clear off, leaving its thrashing trunk and limbs flying aimlessly through the air. Still, the zombie-like creature wasn't done just yet.

I let out a shocked gasp as I realized that, despite no longer having a head, the Flood form was still able to hit the ground on its feet and continue running for me. Frozen in a state of complete astonishment, I wasn't able to pull my sidearm from my hip holster fast enough---but luckily, 'Kuatee reacted for me instead.

Once again, the Elite's razor-sharp, blue-white blade made quick work of what was left of the former Helljumper's body. Two crossing slices of his plasma sword was all it took to take the beheaded monster down for good, seeing as it was now nothing more than a severed head, a diagonally cut section of torso, and a heap of Flood juice-spewing legs.

For the next second or two I simply stood there for a moment, breathing heavy and trying to catch my breath as I listened to the rapid thumping of my heart. It sounded like it was going to pound right out of my chest.

A combination of intense, raw fear and elevated levels of adrenaline could do some funny stuff to your circulatory system, I'd noticed.

"Holy…shit," I finally managed. "Thanks, Atom. And you, too, Sergeant."

"No problem, ma'am," Dandh replied as he slapped a fresh clip of ammo into his SMG.

"Do not waste time, humans!" 'Kuatee roared in response. "We must go, and quickly. There are many more adversaries that stand in our way."

* * *

The arrival of the Covenant made an already hectic situation far, far worse. Now, in addition to UNSC weapons fighting it out between each other, the 102nd Battalion also had to weave its way through a firestorm of alien projectiles. Not only that, but apparently the Covies still had some of their heavy weaponry charged: plasma cannons and fuel rod cannon-wielding Hunters quickly joined an already substantially lead-filled, super-heated atmosphere.

Glancing around at the absolute chaos of the three-sided fight, I realized this was the largest battle I'd fought in since my very first campaign on Coristal, nearly five and half years ago.

"Cooper! Get your company moving _now_, Marine! Alpha Company's coming up on your six, and Delta's right behind!" Major Phillips ordered over the company commanders' channel.

I immediately snapped to at the sound of his voice. "Yes, sir!"

We were nearly out of our former perimeter area now, and advancing rather quickly through the corridor we'd opened up for ourselves. I couldn't believe that in the face of two different enemies, one of whom could suck the very life out of the troops, it actually seemed like our battalion might be able to pull this off.

Dodging the incredible volume of fire, coming from two sides with two very different weapons' systems, I continued to run down the narrow strip of field Charlie Company had gotten past. Along with the rest of my company, following behind, I kept my head low and tried to attract as little attention as possible.

At times throughout the battle, the Covenant and Flood had expressed a far greater interest in each other than us humans, allowing us to occasionally make great strides with relatively little effort. It was only once the two enemy groups happened to notice us again that we found ourselves in deep trouble.

And, of course, the moment the Covies and Flood chose to acknowledge our presence was while Bravo Company and I were passing by.

Hefting my shotgun now, since my battle rifle had long since run out of ammunition, I turned on the first incoming group of Grunts and Brutes. They were preoccupied by the Flood forms bounding in from the opposite side at the moment, and so that gave me the perfect opportunity to start firing.

I hit five of the Grunts in quick succession, dispatching the smaller aliens with powerful blasts from my eight-gauge shotgun. It was almost a shame to waste my precious few shells on the methane-breathers, but the six rounds left in my silenced pistol wouldn't help much in a fight this size. I knew I'd be dead before I could even fire my second bullet.

Killing off most of their entourage had enraged the Brutes. Now, rather than grabbing hold of whole Flood beasts and ripping them apart with their bare hands, the burly Covenant warriors made for my company's lines instead.

Atalom 'Kuatee was able to take out a number of the Brutes himself, alternately wielding his sword at those close by, and carefully picking off those in the distance with his carbine. When I paused in my own firing, trying to fend off Flood and Covenant alike, I saw Willis pulling the trigger of his submachine gun at them as well.

As usual, Willis was simultaneously holding his own and helping out the other Marines around him, using his weapon's incredibly high rate of fire to tear down Covie after Covie, Flood after Flood. And it was all going well until my husband's clip ran dry.

"Willis!" I cried into our private channel.

A sharp spike of panic-fueled adrenaline went through me in less than a second. Jumping down from the plain into yet another parallel ditch---the one Willis was currently occupying---I brought my shotgun to bear and started sprinting hard.

_No, _I thought firmly._ Please, not this again. Please_, please_ don't take him from me. _

One of the Flood forms already had a grip on Willis even as I ran towards him, trying to reach his position in time to save him from an awful death. Though it was hard, I tried to shut down my emotions as best I could, and focused instead on taking careful aim. If I didn't time this right, I could end up hitting Willis instead---and that was something I'd never be able to forgive myself for, even if he did survive it.

The grotesque, disfigured creature warbled loud as my husband tried to fight it off with his combat knife, taking many swipes at it but only finding flesh a few times. The former ODST Flood form was shaking Willis so hard it was a miracle he'd managed to hit the beast at all.

I came up on the thing's flank an instant later, rapidly pulling the trigger of my shotgun three times to make sure the monster was dead before it could inflict more damage on Willis. A huge hole appeared in the creature's side after the first shell punched through its rotting flesh, and the second made it let out a wail as its shoulder was blown clear off its joint. The third shell sealed the deal.

When I turned to see how Willis was doing, I found him lying on the slushy, Flood juice-drenched ground. He seemed a little confused at first, and he was bleeding some from a cut on his arm. But he was alive.

"Will?" I gripped his uninjured arm and gave it a small but firm shake. "Honey, are you ok?"

It took him a few seconds to answer. "Huh? Oh, yeah, Coop. I'm…I'm fine. I mean, I _think_ I'm ok." He pressed a hand to his helmeted head and winced. "Damn. That's the first time I've ever been…treated like a human rag doll. Not so fun."

Despite everything going on around us, I couldn't help but grin inside my helmet. "Next time, try not to make friends with the zombie things." I helped him stand, and steadied him for a moment longer while he got his bearings. "Come on, El-Tee. We need to keep moving, or Phillips is going to bitch at me again."

Now that we'd finally found each other in the melee, we stayed together for the rest of the fight, covering each other's six and generally making sure that neither of us got killed in the midst of all the havoc.

I was concentrating so hard on the fighting---and somehow figuring out a way to get my company out intact---that I didn't even notice how distant the blurred Covie-Flood lines suddenly looked. Glancing up ahead at Charlie Company, I was surprised to find that they, too, were no longer getting overwhelmed by plasma and lead.

Opening a COM channel to my company XO, I said, "Lewis?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"You're bringing up the rear now, right? What's your platoon's status?"

"Well, we took a few casualties earlier, ma'am, but we're clear of the main battle now. Alpha's the one who's in the thick of it at the moment." He hesitated, then added, "We tried to aid them as much as possible while we followed your lead, Captain. It's Delta's turn now, although both companies appear to be pulling through."

"So it's…it's almost over, then?" I asked in disbelief. I couldn't believe our battalion commander's last-ditch effort of a plan had actually worked.

Lieutenant Lewis's voice was amused when he spoke again. "Seems that way, Captain. We haven't heard anything for several minutes now, and I presume Charlie Company is having a quiet stroll up at the head of the formation as well?"

I blinked, noticing at the same time that I had exactly three shotgun shells left for my weapon, and nothing more. "Uh, yeah."

My best friend chuckled. "There you have it, ma'am. It appears that the Covenant and Flood were so engrossed in one another they forgot all about us."

A steadily growing grin finally spread wide across my face. "Wow, Dean. I can't believe we---"

The sudden explosion that rocked the ground beneath us stopped my words in midsentence. Even as I ducked beside Willis, I ordered my company to do the same, then barked, "What the hell was that?"

But even as I asked, I knew. I wasn't sure how it was possible, but I was well aware of what type of device produced that kind of a detonation.

"LOTUS anti-tank mine, Captain!" Second Lieutenant Hillburn cried. "That came from first platoon!"

Lifting my faceplate, I gave Willis a quick look of astonishment before rushing down Bravo Company's lines.

"First platoon! Give me your status!"

Much to my surprise, it wasn't First Lieutenant Samson who replied. It was Gunnery Sergeant Jack Hills.

"It's the El-Tee, Captain! He went too far off into the flanks of the path Charlie Company made for us. Apparently it's…a minefield, ma'am."

_Oh, no_. I had a pretty good idea what condition I'd find Samson in, and I couldn't even think about it without my stomach twisting.

"Get everyone the hell off the flanks _now_, Gunnery Sergeant! I want first platoon back in line and on the march. Why did Samson deviate?"

"I don't know, Captain. But I'll get First moving again right away, ma'am."

* * *

It was a strange feeling, walking up as far as I dared to First Lieutenant Zackary Samson's recently blown corpse. He wasn't even that far off the path, really; I could easily see him---or, rather, what was left of him---from where I stood.

I crouched there for a long moment, not so much taking in the gruesome sight, but thinking how unfair and indiscriminate war could be. We'd finally made it past the Covie and Flood lines that had kept us imprisoned in the same spot for weeks. We'd finally managed to find a base that would come pick us up in a few days' time, provided we reached the designated extraction point. We were supposed to have been finished with all the fighting at present.

So why had the young platoon leader had to die _now_, over some ridiculous accident?

Momentarily stuck in a state of numb shock, I didn't move again until I heard Major Benjamin Phillips's voice behind me.

"Cooper? The hell happened here, Captain?"

All I could do was shake my head in reply, not surprised at all that my own voice wasn't exactly cooperating at the moment.

Thankfully, Phillips didn't press the issue, at least not for now. Being a far more experienced veteran than I was, I got the sense that he understood why I couldn't say anything at the moment.

"Shit," I heard him mutter. "This must've been the Helljumpers' defensive lines, before they got overrun and taken over by the Flood. I guess one of their mines didn't go off."

After a minute of silence, I finally felt him place his hand on my shoulder. Then the major sighed and said quietly, "Come on, kid. There's nothing you can do for him now. We've gotta move on."


	45. Chapter 44: Going Our Separate Ways

Author's Note: Well, here it is, everybody! The very last chapter of the story. Hope you've enjoyed it so far, and I hope you like the ending as well.

And please review! I'd really love to hear your thoughts on this last chappy, and the story as a whole. Don't forget to continue on to the Closing Author's Note when you're done as well. ;-)

Thanks for reading!

**

* * *

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Chapter Forty-Four: Going Our Separate Ways

**1504 Hours, October 30, 2552. Extraction Point, City of Salzburg, Austria. "The End of the Road," Planet Earth. Day Eighty-One of the Invasion of Earth**

Our 102nd Battalion had been marching for three days when we finally reached the outskirts of Salzburg, Austria.

At first, when I saw the road signs that read "SALZBURG - 12KM", all I wanted to do was breathe an immense sigh of relief. Finally, after all we'd been through---after going through the Flood infested camp, after our struggles on the ridge, after facing both the Flood version of the 21st ODST Battalion and the Covenant---we had made it.

The journey had certainly been a long one. Not so much the march itself, even though Major Phillips had told us constantly to remain alert for any potential threats, but just the whole month and a half I'd spent on Earth so far. It seemed strange, to think I hadn't even been on this planet for very long, and yet Bravo Company had already been forced to endure so much.

I suddenly thought of Willis. He'd been here since the invasion had first begun, and had been fighting nearly nonstop since then. If my company and I had had to go through all we had in a little over five weeks, how many more awful events had my husband witnessed in almost _three months_ of combat?

_Poor Will, _I thought. I wished there was something I could do for him, but there wasn't, and that's what made me feel even worse.

"You seem pensive, Captain."

Startled by the abrupt intrusion into my thoughts, I took a few seconds before I answered.

"Nothing important, Dean. Just…thinking about this place. Earth's one hell of a piece of work."

A slight smile formed on my best friend's face; we had both kept our faceplates raised for a while now. "Yes, ma'am. Not like our home planet of Mars at all, but it certainly has its perks."

Sliding my thumb under the strap of my shotgun, which was slung loosely on my shoulder, I sighed. "Did you ever think it would come to this, Lewis? That the Covies would manage to back us all so far into a corner that we'd have to fight on our own species' homeworld?"

Lieutenant Lewis frowned, contemplating the question. "In some ways, yes. I do believe we've always had that nagging thought in the back of our minds, that we'd end up here one day, fighting for our very survival as a species. But, no, I honestly never thought it would be _me_ doing the fighting."

"Yeah. Exactly. In my head, it was always someone else. It was always…distant."

"Bet you never thought you'd be leading a company into battle here, either."

I chuckled. "Nope. Definitely not that."

"I realize how affected by our losses you get, Captain, but I wanted you to know you're a good leader, ma'am. Casualties are part of command, and you certainly saved far more Marines' lives than were taken from you." He smiled, a real one this time. "You're still the only commander I'd quite happily follow anywhere. And, as your XO, I know for a fact that that is the consensus among the men as well."

In addition to the other fallen Marines of Bravo Company, I suddenly thought of my aide, Corporal Kaleb Garian, and the eleventh-hour death of First Lieutenant Zackary Samson. I choked up for a moment. "Thanks, Dean. That means more to me than you'll ever know."

"Aw, come on, Cooper. Don't go teary-eyed on us now."

I turned at the sound of the second voice, and started to grin again when I saw who it was.

"Do you make it a point to abandon your company to come see me, Hayden? If we weren't both married to other people, I'd swear you were hitting on me."

Captain Oliver Hayden grinned back. "Who says I can't still hit on you?"

I threw him a mock-frown, and he laughed.

"Kidding, Cooper. It's just too damn fun to tease you. That's why I keep coming back."

Looking from Lewis to Hayden, I said with a smirk, "So, did I mention I've got _two_ best friends now?"

"I'm tellin' ya, all the cool people travel in threes." Captain Hayden winked at me, then nodded to Dean. "Catch you guys later. I should be heading back to Charlie Company. We're about to enter the city in a few more klicks."

For the next several kilometers, my company and I marched on in silence, taking in the ravaged landscape around us and listening for updates from Major Phillips. He was behind us between Alpha and Delta Company, while Charlie still led the way for our battalion. It wasn't much longer before we finally made it within Salzburg's city limits.

Following our battalion commander's order, I had Bravo halt and sit tight for a few minutes while Charlie Company pushed forward alone to scout the city. Phillips wanted to make sure his radio transmissions to Munich hadn't been intercepted, and that we weren't going to be walking into an ambush once we stepped into the main part of Salzburg.

As soon as I'd relayed the orders to my company, I suddenly found Atalom 'Kuatee standing beside me. Neither of us said anything at first, but eventually, I felt I had to speak.

Folding my arms across my chest, I looked straight ahead at the mostly-destroyed skyline and said, "I didn't tell Major Phillips about what happened to Lieutenant Commander Glorio, you know." I took in a breath, thinking of the six-year-old daughter she'd left behind, who now had to receive the news that her mother had been killed in action. "I just...I told him she'd died defending my team, when we were up on the ridge. And I didn't say anything about…what you did, either."

'Kuatee didn't reply for a long while. When he did, the Elite was looking out at our surroundings, too. "You know the fighting does not end here, yes? There is still much to be done if you humans are to live and continue as a species." He shifted his posture slightly, as if he were calculating his next words carefully. "But rest assured that the Sangheili will remain at your side for the duration, Captain. And perhaps, in time, more of the Covenant will join us as well."

"I'm still not sure if I trust you all that much, Atom." I turned to face him for the first time, arms still crossed. "But I gotta say, you're one helluva fighter, and I'm glad to have you on our side."

I held out my hand to him then, wondering whether or not he'd realize what the gesture meant, or how to respond. After staring at it for several seconds, though, he finally took it, and we shook hands.

"You have fought with an admirable degree of tenacity and valor as well, Captain. Though we shall never quite be friends, those are qualities I understand very well, and qualities I respect." The Elite glanced away again, but I thought I caught an amused expression on his face as he spoke once more. "I feel we are true allies now, human."

* * *

When Charlie Company had announced that the area of Salzburg we'd be occupying was all clear, Major Phillips ordered the rest of the 102nd Battalion into the city. This was going to be our temporary rest stop for the next couple days or so, he said, depending on when the extraction team would arrive from Munich. For the time being, we were simply ordered to form up defensive positions to keep the LZ clear. One company was also set up as a roving patrol around our perimeter, while the other three companies could enjoy a long overdue break until it was their turn for the watch. Alpha Company was first to be sent on patrol, so the rest of us got to settle in.

First Lieutenant Lewis and I spent a half-hour making sure Bravo Company was situated, then let them know they had the next several hours to sleep, eat, and rest until it was our turn for rotated patrol duty. I personally went around and talked to the men in each platoon, seeing how they were all doing after so much combat, and telling them they'd fought hard and well. It was the kind of loyalty any company commander could be proud of.

Only then was I finally able to go look for the one person I wanted to be with most right now. I found him standing in the center of one of the streets, talking to a group of other Marines who'd chosen that place to rest. Willis grinned when he saw me, and walked over to where I was leaning against the side of a building, waiting for him.

"Hey, Cooper," he said. He stopped short of leaning in for a kiss, since we were still amongst a fair number of my Marines, but he did touch his helmet to mine for a moment.

"Hey, Will." I grinned back at him and said, "We've got a whole perimeter to explore. Wanna go find a place to eat?"

He shrugged, still smiling. "Sure. Sounds good to me, Coop."

* * *

Willis and I walked off in the direction of a few deserted homes on the edges of the perimeter, hefting our weapons and packs over our shoulders, helmets clipped to our packs. As I looked around at the snowy landscape, I imagined that Salzburg had probably been a beautiful place once, a bustling city full of life. In the last several months however, because of the invasion, most of the shops and buildings had been blown up, charred, and completely abandoned. The difference between the fantasy and the reality was startling.

"Looks kinda desolate, huh?" my husband said quietly while we trekked into the outskirts of the city.

I nodded, unable to keep myself from constantly scanning the terrain. After several years of combat, training had become instinct, an unconscious reflex. "Yeah." I stared down at my boots, momentarily lost in thought. "But you know, in some ways, it's even kind of peaceful. No dead bodies or wounded civvies like in Cote D'Azur." No little kids with bloody holes in their chests, or sobbing suicidal mothers. I shuddered.

Willis noticed my sudden disquietude and slowly brought his arm around my shoulders. After taking a quick glance around, he pulled me close and kissed my hair. "I'm sorry, honey. I wish I could have kept you from experiencing that somehow."

"I know." That was one of the many things I loved about him. He always seemed to know what I was thinking without having to say it.

We continued along the backroads, checking out the city that would hopefully be our extraction point in a couple days' time. After all we'd been through the past few weeks, I couldn't wait to leave the whole damn continent. I knew Bravo and I would have to keep on battling the Covenant---and possibly the Flood---elsewhere, but right now I just wanted out of here. Too many things had happened here for me, too many awful events witnessed and too many friends lost.

Just like on Sigma Octanus IV. Just like on Heath, and the other planets before that.

I came out of my reverie when I saw my husband's hand go up. He was pointing to one of the smaller homes off to the side of us, which had somehow managed to remain mostly intact.

"What about that one? Should we stop here to eat?" he asked.

"Sure." I was famished; even the bland MREs we'd been handed sounded good at the moment.

The two of us stepped apart as we climbed our way up the rubble, grabbing hold of loose chunks of debris to get up onto the main landing of the house. Willis made it onto the wood floor of the half-blown dining room first, set down his pack, weapon, gloves, and helmet, and then held out his hand to help me up.

"Thanks," I said as I took his hand. Once I was standing beside him, I flashed him a grin. "But I didn't need your help, you know."

He chuckled. "Yeah, I know, Cooper." He watched as I dumped my own gear, then fished around in his pack for his MRE.

I did a quick search of the closed rooms of the house in the meantime, all miraculously spared from the same fate as the dining room. There was a nicely furnished living room, two bedrooms, and a bathroom still relatively untouched in the rest of the modest home. By contrast, the room Willis and I had chosen to eat in was open to the elements, covered in snow, pockmarked with bullet holes, and blackened by explosions.

Joining Willis with an MRE of my own, I sat down next to him on the open side of the room. I lifted my food container to his, letting my booted feet dangle off the side of the house. "Cheers, honey."

Willis smiled at me. "Cheers, babe."

We ate in amicable silence, enjoying our first meal in what seemed like forever. Combat never got any easier, even when you shared a proverbial foxhole with your soulmate, but it sure made things more comfortable in the quiet times.

Taking a swig from my canteen, I peered across the winter landscape again, still keeping a vigilant watch. I knew Battalion had set up an effective perimeter, and Willis and I were still safely within its bounds, but it never hurt to be cautious. More often than not, that's what ended up saving your life when you were a Marine. I stole a quick glance at my husband and saw he was doing the same.

"Area looks secure, Lieutenant," I said softly once I finished eating.

Willis nodded in agreement. "Yes, ma'am."

Silence reigned for a while, and I was the first to break it.

"So this is where we part ways again, huh?" I asked quietly.

He moved a little closer, but kept his eyes dead ahead. "Seems that way, Coop."

"Couple more days till the Pelicans show up, and then you're back to Denmark and your squadron."

"And you're off to who knows where, with Bravo."

I shook my head slightly, forcing myself to keep my voice steady. "You know, I honestly thought that after this fight was over, we wouldn't have to be separated anymore." I snorted in disgust at my naiveté. "I thought maybe even the war would be over by now. That we could go home to Gabriel and have our second baby."

My husband let out a rueful sigh and slipped his arm around me for a second time. "I did, too, Natalie. But it looks like we're headed for different paths once again." A corner of his mouth lifted in a sad smile. "Business as usual for us."

"Yeah, and poor little Gabe, too. I don't think either of us is going to be home for a while."

Willis grasped my hand. "We'll be a family again soon, Coop. We just gotta get through a few...hurdles before we do."

I couldn't help but smirk at his choice of words. "You still remember I ran track as a kid?"

He looked at me, smirking right back. "How could I forget?" His cocky smile widened into a genuine grin. "That's how I met you."

I wasn't sure if it was his expression or what he said that did it for me, but all of a sudden I couldn't hold back any longer. The rigid self-restraint I'd placed on myself for all these weeks that I'd fought beside Willis vanished in an instant, and before he could say anything else, I leaned over and kissed him. Hard.

My husband responded immediately, quickly enveloping me in his arms and deepening our embrace into a long, passionate kiss.

"God, Natalie," he said as we continued kissing. "You have no idea how hard it's been, being so close to you all this time and not being able to touch you."

I gave him a wicked grin as we both stood and moved further into the house. "Oh, I think it's been just as hard for me."

The two of us laughed, still kissing each other with fervor as we stepped into the next room; while we shed our armor plates, I realized we'd actually walked into the living room. In the end, though, it didn't really matter. There was no way we were making it to any of the bedrooms now.

Willis closed the door shut behind him once he'd dropped his armor, and I suddenly found myself lying on my back on a lush fur carpet. The bitter cold outside was temporarily forgotten as we hurried to pull off our jackets and shirts, and then Willis's lips met mine again in a burst of pent-up emotion. I ran my hands into his short hair as we kissed, and in the meantime his own hands made quick work of unhooking my bra. I slid my hands down to the middle of his back while he buried his face in my chest, pressing his lips seemingly everywhere all at once. Closing my eyes for a blissful moment, I leaned my head back and enjoyed the sensation until his lips were on my own again.

"Damn," Willis suddenly rasped with a grin. His breath was hot and ragged against my skin, and I could feel the prickle of his stubble on my neck as we continued kissing. The sound of my pulse rushing in my ears made it harder to hear his next words. "I'm really going to miss you, Natalie."

"Yeah, Will," I replied hastily. Moving my hands down to the fly of his uniform pants, I whispered in his ear, "So am I."

I guess some things just weren't meant to last. In two days we would be hundreds or thousands of miles apart again, separated from each other just as we had been, on and off, since graduating from the Academy over five years ago. But now, at least for a little while, we were able to spend some time alone together.

* * *

Willis interlocked his fingers behind his head with a satisfied grin on his face, his body still glistening with sweat after our second time. He took a moment to get his breathing under control before he spoke, and even then, he only managed three words.

"Holy shit, Cooper."

Although I was in much the same state of post-euphoric shock, I couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah," I agreed, out of breath and perspiring myself. I felt like I should say more, but no coherent thoughts were making their way through my brain just yet. And judging by the momentary silence that followed, Willis was experiencing the same cognitive deficiency I was.

Eventually, though, the wheels finally started revolving again---and the first thought that came to mind wasn't exactly a good one.

"So how dead do you think we'll be if someone finds us here?" I asked him with a smirk. "Demotion serious, or drummed-out-of-the-service serious?"

Now it was Willis's turn to laugh. "Actually, I don't remember. But I do know that whatever the consequences are, that was friggin' worth it."

Still smirking, I leaned my upper body over his chest and kissed him, our dogtags making a soft _clink_ sound as they touched.

And that was supposed to be the end of it there, because despite our joking around, we both knew that getting caught would be just about the worst thing that could happen to either of us. We both took our duties and responsibilities as officers and leaders very seriously, and we didn't want anything to compromise that. But now that we had some relatively safe downtime, and with a long period of separation looming yet again…well, as often is the case, one thing led to another, and we ended up making out.

Sliding his fingers through my hair as he kissed me, my husband smiled and asked, "Think we have time for more?"

I smiled back at him. "You're in luck, El-Tee. Delta Company has the next watch."

"Perfect," Willis replied, grinning wide.

**THE END**


	46. Closing Author's Note

**Closing Author's Note**

So…dang. Another story down. I never thought I'd finish even one, let alone two, and now it looks like I've got to forge ahead and make a whole trilogy out of this thing. I was going to stop at this one, but it seems there's still more story left to tell.

Only if you guys want it, though, of course. ;-)

When I first thought up and started writing my two main OCs, Willis Hawk and Natalie Cooper, I was fourteen years old. The "stories" I wrote were really nothing more than unrelated, non-chronological bits and pieces of their life; they were just a mix of future, past, and present fragments in one couple's war against the Covenant, and nothing was ever cohesive or long enough to make into a complete story. Then, when I was seventeen, I started writing "The Battle of Sigma Octanus IV" and just kind of got rolling with it. Almost two years later, I had that done, and then I got to work on "The Invasion of Earth". Sometimes the words and plotlines just flowed, and other times they didn't, and I had to take a break from writing for a while. But, somehow, another story eventually came out of the process. So, now I'm twenty and I'm still writing these two characters, over six years later. Based on my track record, I have a feeling it's going to be tough to stop at three stories, lol.

Anyway, I really hope you've enjoyed the second installment in the (I can say it now) Cooper trilogy. I wasn't always so sure that a sequel was the right thing to do, but with the support of all my incredible readers---and especially all of you who reviewed---I decided to keep going. Some of these scenes were always just floating around in my head waiting to be written, but it was the drive you readers and reviewers gave me that turned them into a publishable tale, so thank you all very, very much. And, of course, a **special, massive thanks goes out to all the reviewers, old and new**. Thanks to the veteran ones for sticking with me for this long, and thanks to the new ones for giving me a shot. This story/trilogy would be **absolutely nothing without you** guys. =D

The next and concluding part of the trilogy has a tentative title of "The Fight of Humanity", and I've already started some preliminary work on it. If you guys are interested, I will post it on the site probably starting in late September, so let me know if you want it or not.

Thanks again to all my amazing readers and, most of all, reviewers!!! And peace out, everybody!

ilmiopassato


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